Rich Hill Considering Joining Team Midway Through 2024 Season
Veteran left-hander Rich Hill heads back to the open market in a few weeks. Despite a rough second half, he’d at least find minor league offers as he looks to extend his MLB career to a 20th year.
Hill might not sign over the winter, however. While he’d previously expressed an intent to play in 2024, the 43-year-old (44 in March) now tells Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune he’s giving some thought to waiting until midway through the campaign before joining a new team.
It’s an atypical tack but one Hill has considered before. Last August, he told Rob Bradford of WEEI he was thinking about something similar for the 2023 season. The southpaw didn’t ultimately pursue it — he signed an $8MM deal with the Pirates just after Christmas — but that possibility is back on the table this winter.
There are a few reasons behind Hill’s decision-making. The most straightforward one is health. MLB’s oldest active player, Hill conceded to Acee he has “a pretty good gauge and a monitor on my body” and considers “half a season … much more palatable than a full season.” Hill also pointed to a desire to spend more time with his family, noting that he’d like to watch his 12-year-old son play during his final year of Little League baseball next spring. By waiting until midseason, he’d also have a chance to survey the competitive landscape and look to land a spot with a playoff contender.
Hill’s performance also suggests he could be better suited for a lighter role. His production dipped in the second half, especially after a deadline trade from Pittsburgh to San Diego. Hill carried a 4.76 ERA through 22 starts with the Bucs, reasonable production for a fifth or sixth starter. He was tagged for 8.23 earned runs per nine during his two months in Southern California, serving up eight homers in only 27 1/3 frames of work.
The Padres knocked Hill out of the rotation after five starts. They placed him on waivers in an unsuccessful attempt to shed the last few weeks of his salary. He remained in their bullpen after going unclaimed, working mostly low-leverage relief. Hill found more success in a very limited look in that capacity, turning in a 2.25 ERA with an above-average 26.5% strikeout rate in his final four appearances.
Despite the solid last few games, Hill’s subpar results early in his time with San Diego contributed to a lackluster 5.41 ERA through 146 1/3 frames. That’s more than a run higher than last season’s 4.27 figure and his highest mark since his remarkable late-career resurgence with the 2015 Red Sox.
Submit Your Questions For This Week’s MLB Trade Rumors Podcast!
On the MLB Trade Rumors podcast, we’ll frequently answer questions from by our readers and listeners. With the next episode set for Wednesday, we’re looking for MLBTR’s audience to submit their questions and we’ll pick a few to answer.
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Offseason Outlook: Oakland Athletics
The A’s spent the 2023 season more focused on relocating from Oakland to Las Vegas than on attempting to compete. They’ll finish with one of the six worst records of any team in the past 20 seasons. It’ll be another bleak offseason for a fan base that feels betrayed by ownership and has little to look forward to before the team’s likely departure.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Aledmys Diaz, INF/OF: $8MM through 2024
Option Decisions
- Drew Rucinski, RHP: $5MM club option (no buyout)
Other Financial Commitments
- $2MM owed to D-backs as part of July’s Jace Peterson trade
Total 2024 commitments: $10MM
Total long-term commitments: $10MM
Arbitration-Eligible Players
Non-Tender Candidates: Newcomb, Pruitt, Perez, Rios
Free Agents
Just as A’s brass has spent much of the past year focused on their attempted relocation to Las Vegas, the forthcoming offseason will further center around that move. The other 29 owners will vote on the Athletics’ move to Vegas between Nov. 14-16 — a vote that needs 75% approval and is widely expected to pass with little to no issue. The A’s will then turn their attention to securing funding, formalizing vendor contracts and other steps necessary to begin construction of their reported Las Vegas ballpark, with an eye toward finalizing the move in 2027. The A’s could share Oracle Park with the Giants from 2025 until the new facility is built. At this point, ownership is intent on moving away from the team’s longtime home. Any fans clinging to hope of some kind of sale of the team and reversal of course had those hopes dashed last month when chairman John Fisher plainly indicated he has no interest in selling the club.
All the while, the on-field product has suffered. The Athletics have been “rebuilding” for the past two years, though there’s virtually no Major League talent that’s been established despite trading away the core of a team that won 97 games in both 2018 and 2019, won the AL West in the shortened 2020 season (36-24) and won 86 games in 2021.
Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, Frankie Montas, Sean Manaea, Chris Bassitt, Sean Murphy, Lou Trivino, A.J. Puk, Cole Irvin and Sam Moll have all been traded. The only fruits of those trades to blossom at the MLB level so far have been lefty JP Sears (4.54 ERA in a team-leading 172 1/3 innings this season) and outfielder Esteury Ruiz, who lead the AL with 67 steals but batted just .254/.309/.345. Catcher Shea Langeliers popped 22 home runs and played strong defense in his first full MLB season, but his overall .205/.368/.413 batting line was well shy of even the league average. Arguably the best player to come out of the rebuild has been first baseman Ryan Noda, whom the A’s selected in last December’s Rule 5 Draft.
Had the A’s focused solely on lower-minors talent as part of this rebuilding effort, perhaps the lack of MLB contributors would be explainable. That hasn’t been the case. The A’s have largely targeted players in the upper minors. That strategy has worked for them in the past, but the collection of Kyle Muller, Ken Waldichuk, Luis Medina, Cristian Pache, Joey Estes, Kevin Smith, Adam Oller, Adrian Martinez, Zach Logue and Kirby Snead has generally struggled in the Majors. Pache, Oller and Logue aren’t even in the organization anymore. Pache was traded to the Phillies for minor league reliever Billy Sullivan, who walked 52 hitters in 57 1/3 Triple-A innings this year. Oller and Logue were lost on waivers after being designated for assignment.
The A’s have four players on Baseball America’s top 100 list at the moment, but none of the four were acquired from the slate of trades that constitute the current rebuild. Darell Hernaiz, acquired from the Orioles for Irvin and ranked ninth among Oakland prospects at both Baseball America and MLB.com, is the top-ranked yet-to-debut talent produced by the rebuild. BA ranked Oakland’s farm system 24th among the sport’s 30 teams in mid-August. MLB.com ranked them 26th. For a team that’s torn down an entire perennial contender via a series of aggressive trades netting largely upper-level minor league talent, the results should be unacceptable.
Some of the fire sale continued on over the summer, with Moll going to the Reds and offseason signees Shintaro Fujinami (Orioles) and Jace Peterson (D-backs) also being shipped out. Had Oakland’s other offseason veteran pickups — Trevor May (free agent), Aledmys Diaz (free agent), Jesus Aguilar (free agent) and Manny Pina (Murphy trade) — performed better, they’d surely have been shipped out, too. Things didn’t play out that way. Aguilar and Pina were both released over the summer. Diaz had the worst season of his career and is signed through 2024. May rebounded after spending time on the IL with anxiety early in the year but is now a free agent.
The long-running sale could continue this winter. However, because the A’s haven’t developed much talent or signed anyone who’s been particularly productive, they’re running low on names to dangle.
Right-hander Paul Blackburn posted a mid-4.00s ERA but with a more frequently used slider and uptick in velocity that helped him turn in a career-high strikeout rate. With two years of club control remaining and an arbitration trade looming, there’s a very good chance he’ll be moved, even if the return won’t be franchise-altering. First baseman/outfielder Seth Brown had a terrible first half but posted a more respectable .235/.301/.432 slash from July onward. Brown swatted 25 homers with the ’22 A’s and has shown good power against right-handed pitching in his career (.237/.305/.471, .234 ISO). A team looking for an affordable lefty half of a first base/outfield platoon could show interest. Again, the return wouldn’t be all that strong.
Aside from that pairing, there aren’t many obvious trade candidates. Brent Rooker, 29 in November, had a breakout year after being picked up off waivers, though it was a wildly uneven season overall. He was one of the best hitters on the planet in April, excellent in July and September, roughly average in August, and well below average in both May and June. On the whole, he hit .246/.329/.488 with 30 home runs but a 32.7% strikeout rate and shaky defense in the outfield corners. A 30-homer bat with four years of club control remaining could draw interest though, and the A’s aren’t in position to turn away interest on anyone who’s exhausted multiple years of team control.
With virtually nothing in the way of established talent on the roster, it should come as no surprise to hear that the Athletics’ payroll is practically blank. Diaz’s $8MM salary is the only guaranteed contract for a player still on the roster. The A’s will also send $2MM to the D-backs as part of the Peterson trade. Their arb class consists of more non-tender candidates than locks to return, and the players to whom they do tender contracts (e.g. Blackburn, Brown) could well be traded.
That should set the stage for some degree of free agent spending, although as last offseason showed, it’s not really something for A’s fans to get excited about. Oakland isn’t going to commit the necessary resources to any productive, big-name free agents. Even most free agents in the second, third and fourth tiers of the market will likely have little interest in signing on for what is assured to be a non-competitive season played in front of even more sparse crowds than usual. Those same factors led to a 2022-23 slate of signings that was comprised of utilitymen for whom they probably overpaid (Diaz, Peterson) and injury/NPB/KBO rolls of the dice (May, Fujinami, Aguilar, Drew Rucinski).
Assuming more of the same this winter, the market has several rebound hopefuls who can play multiple positions — thus accommodating the Athletics’ general lack of established position players — who can likely be signed at a low cost. Names like Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Paul DeJong, Brian Anderson, Adam Frazier, Eduardo Escobar and old friend Joey Wendle all come to mind. On the pitching side of things, names like Jake Odorizzi, Julio Teheran and Martin Perez could be in Oakland’s price range.
As bleak as things look in Oakland, there are a few spots on the diamond where they appear largely set. Noda had a tough finish to the season but still wound up with a .229/.364/.406 batting line and 16 home runs in 495 plate appearances. He’s not going to hit for much average with a 34.3% strikeout rate, but his massive 15.6% walk rate and above-average power will keep him productive enough to remain in the lineup (and give him a very vintage “Moneyball” Athletics vibe).
At second base, former second-rounder Zack Gelof debuted and turned in one of the strongest showings of any American League rookie in 2023. His performance might’ve gone largely under the radar, given that it came in just 69 games for a historically bad A’s team, but he slashed .267/.337/.504 with 14 home runs, 20 doubles, a triple and 14 steals in 300 plate appearances. Strikeouts are a concern (27.3%), but Gelof walks, hits for power, runs well and played good defense. He has the look of a clearly above-average regular and was far and away the brightest spot on this year’s team. He’s controlled for six more seasons.
Behind the plate, Oakland will likely give another look to Langeliers, whose glove and power are MLB-caliber but whose hit tool was lacking. Langeliers chased off the plate far too often and popped the ball up to the infield way too often when he did make contact (27 times). He still maintained strong exit velocity and hard-hit rates despite that penchant for harmless pop flies, but his work at the dish remains a work in progress. Fellow backstop Tyler Soderstrom is one of the sport’s top offensive prospects but struggled on both sides of the ball. An inexpensive free agent could join this mix.
In the outfield, Ruiz will get another look in center after stealing 67 bases, but he’ll need to improve his offense to remain in the lineup. The lackluster production at the plate and blistering speed are reminiscent of early-career Billy Hamilton, but Ruiz is nowhere near that caliber of defender, so he’ll need to improve either his general offensive output or his glovework to be a credible regular. Former No. 4 overall pick JJ Bleday, acquired from the Marlins for Puk, hit .195/.310/.355 but posted huge numbers in a smaller sample at Triple-A. Lawrence Butler‘s first 129 plate appearances didn’t go well. All three will get more chances in 2024 — Ruiz in particular — but adding a low-cost outfielder like Travis Jankowski, Joey Gallo or Hunter Renfroe (to name a few speculative examples) seems feasible.
Some type of addition on the left side of the infield also seems likely, whether that’s buying low on a trade for someone who’s been squeezed out of his current organization (e.g. Nick Senzel) or signing more utility infield types. None of Nick Allen, Jordan Diaz, Kevin Smith and Jonah Bride have been able to stake a claim to a long-term job at either third base or shortstop. Much of that group will be given more chances, but Allen and Smith have struggled in multiple seasons now. Hernaiz could factor into the left side mix at some point midseason after a strong showing in the upper minors.
The pitching staff doesn’t create much more room for optimism. Blackburn and Sears both turned in passable performances, but the former is perhaps the team’s top remaining trade candidate, as previously mentioned. Top prospect Mason Miller impressed in a few short looks but has been oft-injured throughout his minor league career and spent much of the season on the big league injured list.
There’s a huge number of in-house candidates to take rotation jobs, but most have pitched poorly and/or been hurt in multiple MLB auditions to date. Muller, Waldichuk, Medina, Estes, Adrian Martinez, Freddy Tarnok and Joe Boyle are among the options on the 40-man roster. Journeyman southpaw Sean Newcomb could be in the mix as well, if he survives the winter on the 40-man after undergoing knee surgery recently. Waldichuk finished out the season decently and probably has the inside track among this bunch.
Somehow, there’s even less certainty in the bullpen. Dany Jimenez is the most experienced reliever slated to return. His 3.43 ERA in 57 2/3 innings over the past two seasons is solid, but he’s also walked 13.4% of his opponents during that time. Zach Jackson, who missed most of the year with a flexor strain, has a similarly impressive ERA but ugly walk rate. Waiver pickup Richard Lovelady might have done enough in 23 1/3 innings to earn himself a decent chance at a spot in 2024, but his season ended in July to a forearm strain.
It’s unlikely the A’s make any high-profile additions, but the dearth of quality arms and lack of anything resembling a big league pitching staff likely points to at least a few veteran additions. The A’s could dangle the ninth inning to a veteran looking for a bounceback season, as they did with May last winter. It’ll be a low bar for the 2024 staff to clear. Despite playing their home games in MLB’s most pitcher-friendly stadium, A’s hurlers ranked 29th in the Majors in ERA (5.48), 26th in strikeout rate (20.4%), last in walk rate (10.9%) and 27th in homers per nine innings (1.35).
This offseason will represent one of the darkest chapters in franchise history for an increasingly tortured A’s fan base. It appears all but certain that the team will be leaving the Bay within the next few years, and the 2024 campaign could represent the final year they play home games at the Coliseum. Yet lifelong fans hoping to enjoy perhaps the final year of their beloved Green & Gold at the Coliseum won’t see that appreciation returned by an ownership group that has no interest in competing between now and the time the team moves to Las Vegas. The A’s will spend some money on free agents, if only to ensure they retain their status as a revenue-sharing recipient, but they’ll also probably trade away a few of the familiar faces remaining on the roster.
The A’s posted winning records in 15 of Billy Beane’s 25 years atop the baseball operations hierarchy and never had more than three consecutive losing years, despite frequent rebuilds and perennial payroll constraints. Despite that success — including the aforementioned 97-win seasons in 2018-19 and the 2020 division title — Fisher has suggested that a winning franchise simply isn’t feasible in Oakland. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, and one that appears to be entering its final years while leaving the few fans who remain high and dry with little reason for optimism.
In conjunction with this post, Anthony Franco held an A’s-centric chat on 10-03-23. Click here to view the transcript.
Big Hype Prospects: AFL Sleepers Edition
With the postseason looming, our prospect attention shifts out west where the Arizona Fall League is set to begin this evening. The rosters include several notable prospects. They’re joined by the usual smattering untouted, statistically effective players. Today, let’s skip the big names and focus on the guys fighting for recognition. Those with long memories will recall Edouard Julien’s emphatic AFL performance. “Big Hype” can be built in Arizona.
First, let’s back up and think about Julien’s platform last season. He played well at Double-A as a 23-year-old. In the past, that was on the old side of age-appropriate. Now, it’s just flat-out old for the level. A 23-year-old either dominates Double-A or isn’t considered a prospect (there are exceptions). He was arguably the top player in the AFL last season (Heston Kjerstad won the MVP). Julien went on to post a 2.8 WAR debut in the Majors over 408 plate appearances. High BABIPs are a key component of his success.
Notably, defense was and remains a concern with Julien. There are always a few players who slide under the radar because they have a good-not-great bat married to defensive concerns.
Five Big Hype Prospects
Damiano Palmegiani, 23, 3B, TOR (AAA)
(AA/AAA) 557 PA, 23 HR, 7 SB, .255/.364/.478
There’s some surface commonality between Palmegiani and Julien. They’re both disciplined hitters who produced big league-caliber exit velocities. Scouting reports go out of their way to question the defensive aspects of Palmegiani’s game. He mostly played first base at Triple-A after spending most of the season as the starting Double-A third baseman. Palmegiani also has a shaky hit tool. When he connects, it tends to be well-struck. However, between the discipline and a moderate swinging strike rate, there’s a chance nearly half his plate appearances will end without a batted ball. Barring a profile change, he’ll need high BABIPs just like Julien. Palmegiani is not Rule 5 eligible this winter.
Carter Baumler, 21, P, BAL (A)
(CPX/A) 17 IP, 11.12 K/9, 4.76 BB/9, 3.18 ERA
While we don’t usually watch the AFL for pitchers, Baumler is an exception. A fifth-round pick in the abbreviated 2020 draft, Baumler’s career has been waylaid by injuries, mostly to his shoulder. He managed to return to the mound in late July and even faced 16 batters in his final regular season outing on September 7. He was once viewed as a future Top 100 prospect candidate. With health, he’s young enough to get back on track. He features a well-designed fastball-curve combo. He also shows a slider and changeup, both of which are in want of further development. Baumler is not Rule 5 eligible this winter.
Brainer Bonaci, 20, 2B/SS, BOS (AA)
(A+/AA) 350 PA, 11 HR, 7 SB, .297/.354/.464
Bonaci is on the Ramon Urias utility track. He’s Rule 5 eligible this winter. I figure there aren’t many scenarios in which he’s left off the Red Sox roster. Bonaci is a well-regarded fielder, but he’s slow-footed. He’s likely limited to second and third base down the line. His bat is trending in a league-average direction. Given he’s a switch-hitter, the total sum is a useful player who fits well on any roster.
Zach Dezenzo, 23, 3B, HOU (AA)
(A+/AA) 410 PA, 18 HR, 22 SB, .304/.383/.531
Early in the season, Dezenzo was among the top minor league performers by wRC+. After beating up on High-A pitchers, he performed merely decently against Double-A arms. Even so, at least one source of mine believes Dezenzo is Top 100 prospect material. Another source says he has a hole in his swing. While there’s no question about the quality of his contact, the frequency of his contact could leave him in the Quad-A bubble. He’s likely in the AFL to work on defense. He is not Rule 5 eligible.
Jakob Marsee, 22, OF, SD (AA)
(A+/AA) 568 PA, 16 HR, 46 SB, .274/.413/.428
Marsee reminds me of a lower-impact version of Julien, one whose future big league role will depend upon making good on the few opportunities he’s given. That he’ll receive such opportunities is of little doubt. He’s a disciplined hitter with a high rate of contact. As a lefty, he’s also on the strong side of any platoon considerations. Defensively, he’s considered fringy as a center fielder. He doesn’t have quite enough pop to excite evaluators about a corner outfield role. Still, he profiles as somebody who could post offensive numbers not unlike Julien’s debut. That’s a Major Leaguer, even if we’re only talking about a platoon bat on the Athletics. He’s likely in the AFL to generate trade interest. He is not Rule 5 eligible.
Three More
Hao-Yu Lee, DET (20): You might recognize Lee from this past trade deadline when he was dealt from Philly to Detroit for Michael Lorenzen. A quad strain limited him to 32 post-trade plate appearances. Lee will be looking to make a strong impression on his new employers. He is not Rule 5 eligible.
Kala’i Rosario, MIN (21): Rosario is one of the most accomplished power hitters in the AFL this season. He’s coming off a 21-homer campaign in High-A built around hard contact and plenty of pulled fly balls. He cut down on his swing-and-miss this year by being more patient. He is not Rule 5 eligible.
Abimelec Ortiz, TEX (21): Ortiz should be the odds-on favorite to lead the AFL in homers. He delivered 33 dingers this season split between Low- and High-A. With a strong AFL, he’s a fringe Top 100 prospect candidate. He’s also not Rule 5 eligible.
Did I miss a detail or nuance? DM me on Twitter @BaseballATeam to suggest corrections.
Ehire Adrianza Elects Free Agency
TODAY: Adrianza has elected free agency, reports Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
OCTOBER 1: Adrianza cleared waivers and was outrighted off the 40-man roster, according to Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (X link). There isn’t yet any word on whether or not Adrianza has accepted the assignment.
SEPTEMBER 25: The Braves have reinstated Ehire Adrianza from the 60-day injured list and designated the infielder for assignment. Adrianza was initially placed on the 10-day IL due to elbow inflammation at the start of May, but then suffered a shoulder strain that has elongated his stay on the IL to almost the entire 2023 campaign.
Adrianza has only appeared in five MLB games during this lost season, though even that small amount of time on Atlanta’s active roster locked in a $1MM salary, as per the terms of the minor league contract he signed with the Braves last winter. Adrianza had previously been a part of the Braves’ championship team in 2021, and after signing a big league free agent deal with the Nationals during the 2021-22 offseason, was subsequently dealt back to Atlanta at the 2022 trade deadline.
After recovering from his injury, Adrianza returned to the field to play in 11 minor league rehab games in September, and thus the Braves had to a make decision about his roster status. Today’s transaction indicates that Atlanta feels good about its 40-man roster as the playoffs loom, leaving Adrianza as the odd man out in DFA limbo. Chances are that Adrianza clears waivers and he has more than enough MLB service time to elect free agency in the event of an outright assignment. This means he might opt to get an early jump on the free agent market, or Adrianza could potentially also re-sign with the Braves on a new minor league deal, staying in the organization as an emergency option for a postseason roster spot in the event of injuries.
Known for his multi-positional versatility, Adrianza has appeared in each of the last 11 Major League seasons, playing 616 games with the Twins, Giants, Nationals, and Braves. The switch-hitter has mostly been a bench or part-time option throughout his career, with a slash line of .238/.308/.352 over 1550 plate appearances.
Sam Kennedy On The Search For The Red Sox’ Next GM
Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy addressed members of the media (including Chris Cotillo of MassLive) on Monday, alongside manager Alex Cora. The primary topic of discussion was the team’s search for a new general manager, after chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom was fired in September.
Kennedy made it clear that he is actively seeking a new GM, and he hopes to begin interviews in the coming days. That said, he isn’t working under a deadline. In other words, the team might not have a new head baseball executive when free agency begins, or even by the start of the Winter Meetings in December. That could prohibit the Red Sox from making an early splash this offseason, but it doesn’t mean Kennedy is wrong to take things slow. The team is surely hoping to choose a new baseball operations leader who will stick around longer than a few years and lead the team to repeated success. Suffice it to say, that’s not a decision to make lightly.
The Red Sox will consider both internal and external candidates for the position, Kennedy explained. Internal options could include assistant GMs Eddie Romero, Raquel Ferreira, and Michael Groopman, who are helping to oversee baseball operations in the interim. However, don’t expect Cora or former GM Brian O’Halloran to step into the role. Cora has already expressed that he doesn’t feel ready for such a promotion, while O’Halloran, who served as GM under Bloom, has already accepted a new job as executive vice president of baseball operations.
As for external candidates, Cotillo suggests that Phillies GM Sam Fuld and Dodgers senior vice president of baseball operations Josh Byrnes are in the conversation, as are Diamondbacks assistant GM Amiel Sawdaye, Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes, Blue Jays vice president of baseball strategy (and former Astros GM) James Click, and Twins GM Thad Levine. Meanwhile, one external candidate to rule out is Theo Epstein. He is a popular choice amongst fans, but Kennedy has already shut down any speculation about a reunion with the former Red Sox GM.
All Kennedy would say on Monday was that he has a “targeted list” of candidates, and he is currently seeking permission from other clubs to interview some of their front office personnel.
In other news from the press conference, Cora told reporters that the Red Sox coaching staff is the area of the team that needs to make the biggest improvement entering next season. Kennedy didn’t have much to reveal about potential turnover on the coaching staff, other than to say that conversations on that subject will occur in due time.
Erasmo Ramirez Clears Waivers
TODAY: Erasmo Ramirez has cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment, the Rays announced. He will report to the team’s alternate training site in Sarasota, where he will be available in case he’s needed as an injury replacement for the postseason.
SATURDAY: The Rays announced that right-hander Erasmo Ramirez has been designated for assignment. Right-hander Cooper Criswell was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding transaction.
After first pitching for the Rays during the 2015-17 seasons, Ramirez made his return to Tampa when he signed a minor league deal with the club back in June. He has been on the MLB roster since the end of July, and has a 6.48 ERA over 33 1/3 innings and 15 appearances in a Rays uniform this season. This includes a tough outing yesterday, when Ramirez allowed six runs (four earned) over three innings in a long relief effort in the Rays’ 11-4 loss to the Blue Jays.
Ramirez’s numbers with the Rays aren’t much different than the 6.33 ERA he posted in 27 innings with the Nationals to begin the season, before Washington DFA’ed and then released the 33-year-old in June. It was just last year that Ramirez seemingly resurrected his career with a 2.92 ERA over 86 1/3 innings for the Nats, but the veteran now finds himself once more looking to turn a new page.
Ramirez will surely clear waivers and might end up being released again, since it didn’t seem like he was going to be part of Tampa Bay’s postseason roster plans. In the event that Ramirez clears waivers and is then outrighted off the 40-man roster, he has more than enough service time to reject a Triple-A assignment and choose free agency anyway, so it could be that he’ll be getting a jump on the rest of the free agent market.
Now in his 12th MLB season, Ramirez has mostly worked in a swingman capacity, able to both step into a rotation on occasion or just soak up innings as a long reliever. Ramirez has pitched with six different teams at the Major League level, mostly with the Rays (356 2/3 innings) and the Mariners (314 1/3).
Brandon Woodruff Out For Wild Card Series With Shoulder Injury
Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff has a right shoulder injury, which will keep him from playing in the upcoming NL Wild Card Series, manager Craig Counsell told reporters (including Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Whether or not he can pitch later in the postseason, should the Brewers advance, remains to be seen.
The All-Star right-hander spent four months of the 2023 campaign on the injured list with a subscapular strain in his right shoulder. However, he returned in early August and looked healthy down the stretch, pitching to a 2.59 ERA in nine starts while averaging more than six innings per game. His shoulder bothered him during his final outing of the regular season, but initially, he responded well to treatment. Thus, the severity of his injury came as a surprise for the Brewers; the team was counting on him to start game two of the Wild Card series against the Diamondbacks.
Woodruff plans to get a second opinion on his shoulder, but the team isn’t expecting an update until the end of the week. While they will hope for the best, Counsell and his staff will have to prepare for the worst-case scenario, in which their number two starter is out for the rest of the playoffs.
The Brewers have not yet announced who will start on Wednesday in Woodruff’s place, although Freddy Peralta seems to be the most likely candidate. The 27-year-old pitched his first qualifying season this year, making 30 starts with a 3.86 ERA. It’s harder to guess who will start for Milwaukee in a potential game three. Wade Miley and Adrian Houser are presumably the leading candidates; each had a solid year in 2023, and each is coming off a strong September. Miley pitched to a 3.04 ERA in his final five games, while Houser put up a 2.14 ERA in four September starts. The elder Miley probably has the edge, thanks to his veteran experience and his lefty arm, but Counsell will surely take his time thinking about individual matchups before he makes a decision.
While the Brewers have rotation depth to call upon, this still comes as a huge blow to their postseason hopes. At full strength, Woodruff is one of the better starting pitchers in the National League, and this team was counting on a powerful one-two punch of Corbin Burnes and Woodruff to lead them over the Diamondbacks. No one was more upset about the news than Woodruff himself, who choked up as he told reporters, “We’ve got a good clubhouse. And I want to be a part of that. Sitting here now, I may not.”
Scott Harris, A.J. Hinch Discuss Tigers’ Offseason Plans
Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris and manager A.J. Hinch addressed the media on Monday (including Evan Woodberry of MLive Media Group) to discuss the offseason ahead. Topics on the table included Eduardo Rodriguez and Javier Baez, each of whom has an opt-out after the 2023 season; Carson Kelly, who has a club option for 2024; and Austin Meadows and Spencer Turnbull, who will both be eligible for arbitration this winter. Harris also touched on how much the team plans to spend in free agency, while Hinch praised his coaching staff without promising that everyone would be back next season.
Rodriguez has three years and $49MM remaining on his contract, but he is likely to exercise his opt-out clause after the World Series. The lefty won’t turn 31 until next April, and he’s coming off a strong season in which he pitched to a 3.30 ERA in 26 starts. While he spent June on the injured list and wasn’t quite as imposing upon his return (4.24 ERA in 15 starts), he still looked like a solid mid-rotation pitcher throughout the second half of the season. That being the case, he should be able to command significantly more than $49MM this winter.
Speaking on Rodriguez, Harris said he isn’t planning to negotiate an extension with the veteran starter. The team will wait and see if he chooses to exercise his opt-out.
On the one hand, if the Tigers want Rodriguez back in the rotation next season, now would be the perfect time to discuss a new deal. The club has exclusive negotiating rights until he elects free agency, giving them a head start on other potential suitors. As a dependable left-handed starter, Rodriguez will certainly draw plenty of interest – especially because he is ineligible to receive the qualifying offer, having already received one in 2021. On the other hand, perhaps the team is hoping Rodriguez will decide not to exercise his opt-out after all. He chose to stay in Detroit at the trade deadline instead of accepting a trade to the Dodgers, citing a desire to stay closer to his family. It’s more than possible he’s content to stay in a location he likes and avoid the hassle of free agency altogether.
Harris also mentioned Báez, who has the chance to opt out of his contract after the season. The Tigers president isn’t planning to negotiate with the shortstop either, although that comes as less of a surprise. The two-time All-Star has four years and $98MM remaining on his deal, and coming off a season with an OPS below .600, he’s not going to beat that number on the open market. Thus, the chances of him opting out are slim to none.
While Harris is choosing to let Rodriguez and Báez make their decisions before deciding his next move, he will have to make a call about Kelly. The Tigers signed the backstop in August after he was released by the Diamondbacks. Over the final few weeks of the season, he caught 16 games for Detroit, allowing only a single passed ball and throwing out six of 12 would-be base stealers. He slashed .173/.271/.269. The 29-year-old has a $3.5MM club option for the 2024 campaign.
Given Kelly’s unimpressive offensive numbers, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Tigers cut ties with him following the season. After all, they only paid him a prorated portion of the league minimum in 2023, while the D-backs were on the hook for the rest of his $4.275MM guaranteed salary. Then again, Detroit wouldn’t have put the option in his contract if they weren’t going to consider it. Indeed, Harris suggested the team is seriously thinking about keeping Kelly in the fold. “That’s very much an open question for us,” he explained. “We’re going to spend a lot of time on it.”
The Tigers have a capable starting catcher in Jake Rogers, so Kelly would continue to serve as a backup if he returned in 2024. While he isn’t a threat with the bat, he’s a solid defensive catcher with several years of experience in the big leagues. He also comes with a bit more potential than most backup catchers, considering he was once a top-100 prospect.
Two more players Harris discussed were Meadows and Turnbull, both of whom missed the majority of the 2023 campaign. Meadows has been out since early April battling anxiety, while Turnbull hit the IL in May with a neck injury and never made it back to the big league club. The club could non-tender either player this offseason. However, Harris told reporters that he expects Turnbull to compete for a role in the starting rotation next year, which certainly suggests that he is planning to tender the righty a contract. When Turnbull was last fully healthy, he looked like a great starting pitcher, making nine starts and posting a 2.88 ERA in 2021. Harris hopes he can rediscover some of that success in 2024.
Regarding Meadows, the situation is a little more complicated. Without further comment from Meadows or his representatives, there’s no way to know when he could return to the field. Harris says he hasn’t spoken to Meadows in a few months, so he will need to have a conversation with the outfielder before making any further decisions. The executive called such a conversation a “priority.” If the former top prospect remains uncertain about his status for next season, it’s more than possible he could be non-tendered, although as Woodberry notes on Twitter, the team could leave the door open for him to return someday on a minor league deal.
As for potential spending in free agency, Harris didn’t promise any big moves, but he didn’t rule out making some acquisitions. Most importantly, he emphasized that the Tigers aren’t going to buy a core, and any transactions he makes in free agency or on the trade market will be to complement the young players already on the roster. In other words, he isn’t going to try to accelerate his team’s rebuild with a huge signing or a blockbuster trade. Therefore, if the Tigers are to contend in the AL Central next season, it will be thanks to young players like Kerry Carpenter, Spencer Torkelson, and Tarik Skubal taking a step forward. Most likely, this means the team’s competitive window won’t open until at least 2025.
In non-player news, Harris spoke about various infrastructure improvements in the works, including new dorms and a covered field, batting cages, and pitching mounds at Lakeland, the spring training locale for the Tigers and the regular season home of team’s Single-A and Rookie Ball affiliates. The team is also building a new training complex in the Dominican Republic and renovating the clubhouse at Comerica Park.
Meanwhile, Hinch reflected on the work his coaching staff did this season, praising their performance. However, he would not say if everyone would return in 2024. This doesn’t mean the Tigers are planning to replace any coaches, but it suggests they’re evaluating the staff and considering various possibilities.
Brewers Release Brian Anderson
October 2: The Brewers released Anderson today, per MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. The move officially rules out Anderson for the club’s postseason roster, though it was already unlikely the club would have added him back to the 40-man roster to make him eligible for the postseason. Anderson heads into the offseason early, where he’ll look to catch on with a new club as he attempts to return to the form he demonstrated from 2018-2020.
September 28: The Brewers announced that outfielder Garrett Mitchell has been activated from the 60-day injured list. In the corresponding move, third baseman/outfielder Brian Anderson was designated for assignment.
Mitchell’s official return to the active roster has been expected for a couple of days, after he rejoined the Brewers upon the completion of the Triple-A season. The outfielder played in only 16 games in April before undergoing shoulder surgery, leaving some doubt to whether or not Mitchell would even make it back before the end of the 2023 campaign. Fortunately, Mitchell was able to start a Triple-A rehab assignment earlier this month, and played in eight games in the minors.
The 25-year-old figures to get a bit more time to ramp up over the Brewers’ last few games of the regular season, as Milwaukee has locked up the NL Central title and the third seed in the NL bracket. This gives the Brew Crew some extra time to rest some regulars and figures out who might make the cut for the playoff roster before the start of the Wild Card Series on October 3.
The 20th overall pick of the 2020 draft, Mitchell made his MLB debut last season and was expected to see regular action this year, even beginning 2023 as Milwaukee’s Opening Day center fielder. Mitchell naturally still figures into the Brewers’ future plans, and what might’ve been an entirely lost season for the younger can be salvaged if he can play a role in any postseason success. Mitchell likely won’t be line for regular duty ahead of Blake Perkins or Sal Frelick in center field, but he could contribute off the bench as defensive or pinch-running depth. With Mitchell as an additional outfield option, the Brewers could use then use Mark Canha more regularly at first base or DH rather than in the outfield corners.
While Anderson’s DFA doesn’t technically rule him out of contention for the postseason roster if he clears waivers and is then eventually re-added to the 40-man roster, the writing has seemed to be on the wall that Anderson isn’t in the Brewers’ plans. His start in yesterday’s game marked his first time in the lineup since August 22, and he has played in only 11 games total since returning from a 10-day IL stint on August 3.
The Marlins non-tendered Anderson last offseason after a pair of injury-riddled down years, and the Brewers signed him to a one-year, $3.5MM deal in the hopes of a bounce-back. The experiment seemed to be working great in the first few weeks of the season, but Anderson quickly faded after that hot start, and he has a .226/.310/.368 slash line and nine home runs over 361 plate appearances while seeing a lot of action at third base and in right field.
Andruw Monasterio essentially took over the starting third base job after the All-Star break, though his own struggles led the Brewers to make the low-cost signing of Josh Donaldson on a minor league deal. Donaldson hasn’t been overly impressive since joining the active roster, though his .191/.296/.447 slash line in 54 PA in a Brewers uniform is at least better than the .659 OPS he posted in 120 PA with the Yankees. With Anderson now likely out of the picture, the Brewers look to be using Donaldson as their chief third base option for the postseason, with Monasterio perhaps acting as a utility infielder backing up Donaldson, shortstop Willy Adames, and second baseman Brice Turang. Canha, Carlos Santana, and Rowdy Tellez are the first base/DH options.