Mark Shapiro Discusses Upcoming Blue Jays Offseason
The Blue Jays made the playoffs for the third time in the past four years but each trip resulted in a hasty 2-0 playoff sweep. The club’s president/CEO Mark Shapiro spoke to the media today, with Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet among those to relay the information. While Shapiro touched on a number of topics, the key takeaways broadly involve continuity, with the club planning to retain Ross Atkins as general manager and keep the 2024 payroll at a similar level to 2023.
The 2023 Jays club was constructed differently than the 2022 version. Offensive outfielders Teoscar Hernández and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. were traded as glove-first players Kevin Kiermaier and Daulton Varsho were brought in. This had the expected result of the club faring better at run prevention but often struggling to score runs. In 2022, they finished fourth out of the 30 clubs in terms of plating runs but fell to a tie for 14th this year. But in terms of keeping runs off the board, they went from 13th to fifth. The overall effect was close to net neutral, as the club’s win tally fell from 92 to 89 but was still strong enough to get them back to the postseason, with the aforementioned quick exit.
It seems the club is satisfied enough with the regular season results to allow Atkins to continue in his role as general manager, a job he has held since the end of 2015. The club made the playoffs in 2016, advancing as far as the ALCS, before undergoing a quick rebuild with three losing seasons from 2017 to 2019. They started pushing their top prospects to the majors in that time, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette the most highly touted.
That led to the club making the playoffs in the shortened 2020 season, narrowly missing in 2021 despite winning 91 games, before getting back to the playoffs in the two most recent years. The lack of postseason success is surely frustrating for some fans, but the regular season results have been quite strong for four straight years in arguably the toughest division in the league, making it fairly logical that the club isn’t leaning towards huge changes.
“Ross needs to get better, but he’s done a good job,” Shapiro said today, adding that offense and baserunning are areas for potential improvement, as well as “communication of transparency” with players and staff.
Adding offense this winter will be a challenge since the free agent class is heavy on pitching and generally lighter on impact bats, but it sounds like the Jays should have some resources to attack the problem. Roster Resource calculates their 2023 payroll at $214MM and their competitive balance tax number at $248MM, their first time paying the luxury tax. There are some notable contracts coming off the books, including those of Hyun Jin Ryu, Matt Chapman, Brandon Belt and Kiermaier, with Whit Merrifield likely to be departing as well since mutual options are rarely picked up by both sides.
RR estimates the club’s 2024 payroll at $115MM right now, though a hefty arbitration class could add about $60MM to that and put them in the $175MM range. If they are willing to spend at similar levels nest year as Shapiro suggested, that should give them roughly $40MM or so to spend, perhaps a bit more if they end up non-tendering a couple of players from their arb class.
That money gives them some the potential to pursue various avenues this winter but, as mentioned, the free agent class skews towards pitching. The Jays are in good position in that department, with Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, José Berríos and Yusei Kikuchi all still under contract next year and the departure of Ryu opening one spot. The giant unknown right now is how much the Jays believe in Alek Manoah‘s ability to bounce back next year, though they also have top prospect Ricky Tiedemann knocking on the door of the majors. The bullpen was also a strength this year and the club figures to retain Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson, Tim Mayza, Yimi García, Génesis Cabrera and others.
But more offense is certainly required and the club will have to replace the production of Chapman, Kiermaier, Belt and Merrifield just to break even in that regard. Belt had a wRC+ of 138 this year, though in a part-time/platoon role. The other three finished with a wRC+ between 110 and 93 but each brought some speed and/or defense to the table. The Jays could get some internal help from key prospects like Orelvis Martinez or Addison Barger but it’s fair to expect them to pursue external options as well.
Chapman is the top free agent third baseman and could be brought back to man the hot corner, but they could also pursue someone like Jeimer Candelario at a lower price point. Merrifield is one of the best second baseman available but the club could perhaps give Davis Schneider and Cavan Biggio some run there after some encouraging results this year.
Varsho could perhaps slide over to take Kiermaier’s spot in center, allowing the club to pursue a bat-first corner outfielder like Michael Conforto or Jorge Soler, or perhaps reuniting with an old friend like Gurriel or Hernández. Belt was in the designated hitter spot most days, so there’s any number of ways the club could go with that spot. Time will tell what specific targets the club has in mind but it seems they will have the ability to reload for what should be another fiercely competitive year in the American League East.
Offseason Outlook: New York Mets
The Mets endured one of the most disappointing seasons in history and now change is the name of the game. There’s a new front office regime in place, which will hopefully lead to better results going forward. It’s expected that they will be less aggressive this winter, but by how much?
Guaranteed Contracts
- Francisco Lindor, SS: $256MM through 2031
- Brandon Nimmo, OF: $141.75MM through 2030
- Edwin Díaz, RHP: $72.75MM through 2027 (including buyout of 2028 club option, also has opt-out after ’25)
- Kodai Senga, RHP: $56MM through 2027
- Jeff McNeil, IF/OF: $43.75MM through 2026 (including buyout of ’27 club option)
- Starling Marte, OF: $39MM through 2025
- José Quintana, LHP: $13MM through 2024
- Omar Narváez, C: $7MM player option
- Adam Ottavino, RHP: $6.75MM player option
- Tomás Nido, C: $2.1MM through 2024
Option Decisions
- C Omar Narváez holds $7MM player option
- RHP Adam Ottavino holds $6.75MM player option
- Club holds $6.5MM club option on LHP Brooks Raley with $1.25MM buyout
Other Financial Commitments
- Paying $30.83MM to Rangers for Max Scherzer‘s salary
- Paying $31.3MM to Astros for Justin Verlander‘s salary (plus half of $35MM vesting option in ’25, if triggered)
- Paying $8MM to Orioles for James McCann
- $250K buyout on 2024 club option for IF/OF Darin Ruf
2024 financial commitments (assuming options for Narvaez/Ottavino/Raley are all picked up): $218.98MM
Total future commitments (assuming options for Narvaez/Ottavino/Raley are picked up, not including Verlander’s ’25 option): $714.98MM
Arbitration-Eligible Players (projected salaries via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
- Daniel Vogelbach (5.138): $2.6MM
- Trevor Gott (5.057): $2MM
- Elieser Hernández (5.044): $1.6MM
- Drew Smith (5.034): $2.3MM
- Pete Alonso (5.000): $22MM
- Luis Guillorme (4.159): $1.7MM
- Tim Locastro (4.122): $1.6MM
- Joey Lucchesi (4.112): $2MM
- Sam Coonrod (4.078): $900K
- Jeff Brigham (3.142): $1.1MM
- John Curtiss (3.137): $1MM
- Michael Pérez (3.095): $800K
- David Peterson (3.089): $2MM
- Danny Mendick (3.058): $1.1MM
- Rafael Ortega (3.035): $1.4MM
- DJ Stewart (2.168): $1.5MM
Non-tender candidates: Vogelbach, Hernández, Smith, Guillorme, Locastro, Coonrod, Brigham, Curtiss, Pérez, Mendick, Ortega
Free Agents
The Mets won 101 games in 2022 and then ran up the highest payroll in baseball history for 2023, going into the season with the greatest of expectations. Unfortunately, a rash of pitcher injuries put them behind the eight ball early on and they fell out of contention. As the summer wore on and the plane continued its descent towards the ocean, they had no choice but to reach for the emergency floatation devices. They traded Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Tommy Pham, Mark Canha and David Robertson, often eating substantial amounts of money in order to improve their prospect returns.
After that fire sale, Scherzer told the media that he was informed the Mets planned to take a sort of step back in 2024. Owner Steve Cohen and then-general manager Billy Eppler sort of confirmed those remarks, with each adding that the club hopes to compete in ’24 but with a greater focus on ’25 and ’26. “We will be competitive in ’24 but I think ’25-26 is when our young talent makes an impact,” Cohen said at the time. “Lots of pitching in free agency in ’24. More payroll flexibility in ’25. Got a lot of dead money in ’24.”
That makes it unclear exactly how the club will approach the upcoming winter, but it won’t be Eppler calling the shots. David Stearns was hired to be the new president of baseball operations, leaving the Brewers and coming over to run the team he grew up cheering for. Since Milwaukee was generally quite competitive under Stearns despite limited payrolls, it’s hoped that he can bring even more success to Queens now that he will have Cohen’s resources at his disposal.
It was originally expected that Eppler would stay on as GM and work under Stearns, but he recently stepped aside amid a strange league investigation into the club’s use of the injured list. Stearns also fired manager Buck Showalter, leaving that position vacant as well. Presumably, replacing Showalter will be the higher priority, as Stearns should be capable of steering the front office without a GM for the time being.
Though the Mets ended up saving some money by selling at the deadline, they still have a payroll of $346MM for the year, per Roster Resource. That translates to a competitive balance tax figure of roughly $359MM, still well beyond the highest luxury tax threshold of $293MM, leading to a tax bill of over $88MM.
It seems they want to dial things back in the year to come, though there’s already plenty on the books, with RR pegging their 2024 payroll at $204MM and their CBT number at $219MM. That’s before factoring in estimated arbitration salaries. Pete Alonso alone will add over $20MM to both of those figures, putting them above next year’s $237MM base threshold for the luxury tax before the offseason even begins. They could move some money around if dipping under than line is a priority, but it doesn’t seem to be. Stearns has said the club plans to retain Alonso, while Cohen’s comments suggest the club is looking to bring in free agent pitchers this winter.
How aggressive they will be in that market remains to be seen, but there is definitely work to be done. With Scherzer and Verlander both out of the picture, the rotation is now headlined by Kodai Senga, who posted an excellent 2.98 earned run average in his first major league season. José Quintana missed much of 2023 due to injury but should be able to serve as a solid mid-rotation arm. After that is where things get murky. David Peterson, Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi, Peyton Battenfield and José Butto but the Mets likely don’t want to be relying on that group for anything more than depth.
That means they could realistically add two or three starters this winter. Given they are thinking of 2024 as a kind of transitional season, they probably won’t be aiming for top-of-the-market names like Blake Snell or Aaron Nola. Perhaps they would still consider Yoshinobu Yamamoto since he’s just 25 years old and would still line up with their future plans. But it’s also possible they target a lower level of free agency, perhaps taking fliers on bouncebacks from Frankie Montas or Luis Severino. Veterans like Kenta Maeda or Hyun Jin Ryu could eat some innings on short-term deals, with the knowledge that they may end up traded if the club is out of contention by next summer.
In the bullpen, Edwin Díaz will be back after a season lost to a fluke knee injury. Adam Ottavino seems likely to trigger his player option and come back for another season. Brooks Raley posted an ERA under 3.00 for a second straight year and the club should pick up his option, given the reasonable $5.25MM net decision. Trevor Gott should be in the mix after his decent season, especially after the club ate Chris Flexen‘s contract to acquire him. But beyond that group, the bullpen core is a host of waiver claim types such as Phil Bickford and Anthony Kay.
A run at an expensive arm like Josh Hader or Robert Stephenson seems unlikely, but a few veterans on one-year deals would be sensible to strengthen the relief corps and also perhaps turn into deadline trade fodder. Craig Kimbrel, Matt Moore and John Brebbia are some of the many options there.
On the position player side, there should be less work to do. Francisco Álvarez took the catching job and ran with it this year. He received strong marks for his glovework while also popping 25 home runs. His offense was around league average on the whole thanks to a .209 batting average and .284 on-base percentage, but his .222 batting average on balls in play figures to improve going forward. Omar Narváez missed much of the year due to a calf strain and struggled after getting healthy but should be capable of serving as a solid backup.
Alonso figures to have first base spoken for, assuming he sticks around. His name was apparently discussed in trade rumors at the deadline but no deal came together. He’s entering his final arbitration season before he’s slated to reach free agency. As mentioned, Stearns has indicated the club plans to keep him for 2024 but he could wind up back on the trading block next summer if no extension is reached and the Mets aren’t in contention.
Francisco Lindor had yet another excellent season and should be back anchoring shortstop next year. He underwent surgery this week to remove a bone spur from his elbow but is expected to be ready for Spring Training. His double play partner will likely be Jeff McNeil, who started slow in 2023 but recovered in the second half. The Mets could theoretically add a second baseman and move McNeil to the outfield, but given the poor free agent market for middle infielders, it makes more sense to him to man the keystone. Middle infield prospect Luisangel Acuña could be a factor at some point next year, at which point McNeil could move to the grass.
Third base is a bit less certain, though there are internal options. Each of Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio were highly-touted prospects on their way up but none of them have established themselves at the big league level yet. The club could consider a veteran stopgap here but it could also roll with a spring competition, leaving room for one of this group to break out and take the job.
The outfield will be anchored by Brandon Nimmo, who had a second straight healthy and productive season. The corners are a bit more questionable, especially with Starling Marte‘s ongoing groin problems. He only played 86 games this year and had the worst showing of his career when healthy enough to play. With his injury absences and Canha being traded, DJ Stewart got a lengthy showing to finish the year. He struck out in 30.3% of his plate appearances but also hit 11 home runs in just 58 games. The power has been there before but he’s a poor fielder, which could perhaps lead the club to non-tender Daniel Vogelbach and make Stewart their left-handed DH.
There should be room for a veteran corner outfielder, or perhaps two if Marte remains a question mark. Assuming the club doesn’t go to the top available free agents like Teoscar Hernández or Lourdes Gurriel Jr., they could reunite with Tommy Pham or perhaps reach out to someone like Jason Heyward, Robbie Grossman or David Peralta.
It’s also possible the Mets throw their hat into the Shohei Ohtani bidding. It would be slightly incongruous to give out a record-setting contract in what’s supposed to be a quieter offseason, but it’s an unprecedented opportunity and Cohen can’t really be ruled out on anyone. Ohtani reportedly had a West Coast preference when he first came over from Japan but it’s in his best interest to entertain all suitors this time in order to maximize his earning power. He won’t be able to pitch in 2024 but could theoretically join the Mets’ rotation in 2025 while also adding a potent bat to the lineup right away.
The club is still a bit of a mystery this winter, especially with Cohen constantly deviating from standard operating procedure. Last winter’s aggression was unprecedented so it remains to be seen what his definition of a more modest offseason looks like. But with the division featuring a couple of powerhouse teams in Atlanta and Philadelphia as well as a Marlins club that’s coming off a strong campaign, it seems fair to expect the Mets play things somewhat cautiously for now, keeping their eyes on a future that will hopefully have plenty to be excited about with the Stearns-Cohen pairing.
In conjunction with this post, Darragh McDonald held a Padres-specific chat on 10-12-23. Click here to view the transcript.
14 Players Elect Free Agency
As the offseason nears, a number of players elect minor league free agency each week. These players are separate from six-year MLB free agents, who’ll reach the open market five days after the conclusion of the World Series. Eligible minor leaguers can begin electing free agency as soon as the regular season wraps up. These players were all outrighted off a team’s 40-man roster during the year and have the requisite service time and/or multiple career outrights necessary to reach free agency since they weren’t added back to teams’ rosters.
Electing free agency is the anticipated outcome for these players. There’ll surely be more to test the market in the coming weeks. We’ll offer periodic updates at MLBTR, including a list of 29 players last week. The next group, courtesy of the transaction tracker at MiLB.com:
Catchers
- Chris Okey (Angels)
Outfielders
- Henry Ramos (Reds)
Pitchers
- Kyle Barraclough (Red Sox)
- Silvino Bracho (Reds)
- Daniel Castano (Marlins)
- Diego Castillo (Mariners)
- Nabil Crismatt (D-Backs)
- Justin Dunn (Reds)
- Javy Guerra (Rays)
- Brent Honeywell Jr. (White Sox)
- Brett Kennedy (Reds)
- Jake Reed (Dodgers)
- José Rodríguez (Mariners)
- César Valdez (Angels)
The Opener: Braves/Phillies, Moreno, Mets Outlook
Two more Division Series concluded last night. The Diamondbacks finished off a sweep of the Dodgers with a 4-2 win, while the Astros held on to beat the Twins 3-2. Houston clinched a remarkable seventh consecutive trip to the AL Championship Series, where they’ll match up against their in-state rivals. The Rangers head to Houston this weekend.
The D-Backs, who are into the final four for the first time since 2007, join the rest of us in watching tonight’s matchup.
1. Braves/Phillies, Game 4
The Phillies went ahead in the remaining Division Series with a resounding 10-2 home victory yesterday. They hit six home runs — including two apiece from Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos — to secure a 2-1 lead in the series. They’ll try to clinch a second straight NLCS berth tonight at 7:07 CDT. It’s a rematch of the pitching matchup from Game 1, with Philadelphia lefty Ranger Suárez against Atlanta ace Spencer Strider. Suárez got the better of a pitcher’s duel on Saturday. If Strider and the Braves can fend off elimination, they’d head back to Truist Park for a decider on Saturday. The D-Backs await the winner next Monday.
2. Moreno update
In a celebratory night for Arizona, the only minor concern was an injury to catcher Gabriel Moreno. For the second straight series, Moreno was forced out early of the clinching game by injury. He left the Brewers series after being hit in the head on a backswing but passed concussion protocol and returned against L.A. Yesterday’s issue was a right hand injury that the D-Backs diagnosed as a contusion. Initial x-rays came back negative, Moreno told reporters during the postgame celebration (relayed by Sam Blum of the Athletic). He seems on track to return for the NLCS, although the club will surely monitor his progress over the next few days.
3. Mets Outlook
For all but five teams, we’re into offseason mode. MLBTR’s Offseason Outlook series is nearly halfway complete. Darragh McDonald takes a look at what could be in store for the Mets in a post that’ll hit the website this afternoon.
Rays Open To Increased Payroll In 2024
The Rays have a challenging offseason ahead, as they often do. Even after successful seasons, they usually find themselves looking for financial cuts given their low-spending ways. That could be the case again this winter though Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times relays that the club is open to running a higher payroll in order to keep much of the club intact.
“We have the ability to do that,” president of baseball operations Erik Neander says. “And that’s a nice starting point to have — 99 wins with contributions from as many players as we did this year, players that established themselves, young players getting their first opportunities. It puts us at a really strong position.”
The Rays usually run a payroll near the bottom of the league, with the data of Cot’s Baseball Contracts never having them above $85MM on Opening Day and they haven’t been higher than 25th in the league since 2010. Topkin’s report says the $78.245MM Opening Day figure from last year is actually the franchise high, which is even lower than the listing at Cot’s. But with raises due to various players on the team, running out a similar roster for 2024 would involve getting way up into the $120MM range.
Part of that is Tyler Glasnow, who made just $5.35MM this year but is set to jump to $25MM next year as part of the extension he signed with the club. Lesser raises are also due to other players who signed extensions like Manuel Margot, Yandy Díaz, Jeffrey Springs and Brandon Lowe. Then there’s the arbitration class, which features 16 players. Some of those are non-tender candidates but projections from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz show that Randy Arozarena will likely earn around $9MM, more than double this year’s $4.125MM salary, among many other notable jumps.
Roster Resource estimates that the club already had about $74MM committed for next year, without those arbitration estimates taken into account. The class is projected as a whole for $46.3MM, which lines up with Topkin’s $120MM figure for keeping the whole gang together.
In the past, the Rays have often dealt with this situation by moving on from notable players like Tommy Pham, Blake Snell and many others. The willingness to trade established big leaguers for cheaper and less-proven ones has allowed the club to continually compete even with their budgetary limitations. 2023 saw them reach the postseason for a fifth straight year, despite sharing a division with many bigger spenders. Though they were quickly eliminated in their last three postseason trips, it’s nonetheless been an impressive tightrope walk.
Perhaps they can proceed with a bit more continuity next year, if Neander’s words prove to be true. Skeptics would be forgiven for rolling their eyes, but the club has hinted at some greater spending capacity in the past. As Topkin points out, the club made an offer of $150MM over six years to Freddie Freeman before he ended up with the Dodgers.
Sticking with the same roster would still leave issues, given how the 2023 club started out red hot and faded as the season went along. But it’s possible that the reverse trajectory could be in store next year. Shane Baz missed all of 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery but should be ready to go for Spring Training. Springs required the same procedure in April and could rejoin the club next summer. Drew Rasmussen could also be a midseason returnee after undergoing an internal brace procedure in July. Continued development from younger players like Taj Bradley, Junior Caminero and Curtis Mead could also give them some more momentum.
The Freeman offer from a few years ago shows that the willingness to change course doesn’t necessarily lead to it actually happening. But as Topkin points out, the club had increased attendance this year and has a funding agreement for a new stadium, perhaps giving principal owner Stuart Sternberg some extra incentive to sign off on a different spending level, though it seems it may not be permanent even if it does happen.
“If the timing’s right — right player, right team, right time — there’s always that ability to push,” Neander says. “It’s probably going to come from somewhere at a later date. But there is a fluidity to our payrolls and things, there’s a freedom to it, that allow us to be more competitive if the right circumstances suggest we should make that run.”
Still, there are many who won’t believe in the higher payroll potential until it comes to fruition. It will likely also depend on what discussions happen in the winter with free agents or potential trade partners, something Neander acknowledges. “Every offseason is unique,” he says. “A lot of it will depend on what the other 29 teams are looking to do in addition to what we think is best for us. So, very TBD. Not much of an answer, but a lot of it is you’ve got to be ready to go in whatever direction the winter takes us. But we can run this group back. And it’s a good starting position.”
West Notes: Moreno, Sánchez, Angels
Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno was removed from Game 3 of the NLCS in the fifth inning with a right hand contusion, the team confirmed. The D-backs will hope the injury doesn’t prove to be more serious.
Moreno was hit on the hand with a foul tip bunt, and while he initially remained in the game, he was replaced with a pinch hitter before his next at-bat. This is the second time Moreno has exited a game early this postseason, the first coming when he was hit in the head by Brice Turang‘s backswing during the Wild Card round. Fortunately, that incident didn’t lead to a concussion, and the young catcher was back on the field for Arizona’s next game. He has played in all five of the Diamondbacks’ postseason matchups thus far.
The 23-year-old catcher is enjoying a breakout season, proving himself to be a strong defensive player and a capable hitter. He improved at the plate as the year went on, too, batting .313 with an .894 OPS after the All-Star break.
In other news from the West divisions…
- Gary Sánchez is set to reach free agency after the World Series, but the Padres are reportedly interested in bringing him back, and the interest appears to be mutual, according to Dennis Lin of The Athletic. The 30-year-old had a difficult year at the plate in 2022, but he bounced back this season after the Padres claimed him on waivers in May. In 72 games with San Diego, he hit 19 home runs and posted a .792 OPS before a wrist fracture ended his season in early September.
- Sarah Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Times named Angels infield coach Benji Gil as a potential managerial candidate, reporting that the Angels have expressed interest in him as their next manager. Valenzuela also included Buck Showalter on the list of candidates, although that comes as less of a revelation; the team’s interest in Showalter has already been widely reported. Gil has been a coach in the majors for the past two seasons, and he served as the manager for Team Mexico in the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Rangers Rotation Could Be A Strength In ALCS
Over the 2022-23 offseason, the Rangers concentrated their attention and resources on the rotation. They signed Jacob deGrom, the biggest name on the market, and Nathan Eovaldi, a World Series champion and postseason hero. They re-signed Martin Perez, an 11-year veteran and a 2022 All-Star. They took a chance on the injury-prone Andrew Heaney, who flashed dominant strikeout stuff over the second half of the season.
Suffice it to say, very little went according to plan. deGrom went down at the end of April. Eovaldi looked like a Cy Young contender through the All-Star break, but a forearm strain ruined the second half of his season. Perez, meanwhile, struggled so badly through the first four months that he wound up in the bullpen after the trade deadline. Heaney was a similar case; he lasted longer in the rotation but never quite found his groove, and he landed in the bullpen in September. Jon Gray, who signed with Texas a year prior, was reliable for much of the season but suffered a forearm strain of his own in late September.
That’s a whole lot of misfortune for a team that still finished fifth in the AL in rotation ERA and FanGraphs WAR, not to mention a team that made the playoffs and swept its way to the ALCS. While the pre-season plan didn’t exactly work out, the Rangers made the best of some tough breaks with depth and aggressive trades at the deadline. Now, as they prepare to take on the Astros, the rotation could be as strong as it’s been since April.
Eovaldi has put his rough September far behind him with two phenomenal postseason starts. Across 13 2/3 innings, he has given up just two runs while striking out 15 and walking none. The righty is harkening back to his performance with the 2018 Red Sox, but even then, he was never quite as effective as he’s been over his last two outings.
Meanwhile, trade deadline acquisition Jordan Montgomery has been superb, pitching to a 2.79 ERA in August and September and a 3.27 ERA in the playoffs. While he has had a few rough starts, including his performance against the Orioles on Sunday, he has looked dominant more often than not, such as in his gem against the Rays last Tuesday.
Those two will lead the way in the ALCS, and with several off days between their victory last night and Game 1 on Sunday, the Rangers can set up their rotation however they’d like. That means Montgomery in Game 1, Eovaldi in Game 2, and no need to piggyback Heaney and Dane Dunning to open the series. In fact, Texas might not need to piggyback Heaney and Dunning at all.
Max Scherzer, another deadline addition for Texas, is approaching a preternatural return from a teres major strain. He seemed like a long shot for the playoffs until relatively recently, but he has been ramping up his throwing program in October, and now it looks like he could make the ALCS roster. As Evan Grant reported for The Dallas Morning News, the three-time Cy Young winner threw a simulated game on Wednesday, and he feels good about his chances to pitch against the Astros.
Grant had a similarly positive update about Gray, who plans to ramp up his rehab this week. He is not as far along as Scherzer, but he also didn’t miss as much time. If he gets back on a mound in the coming days, he, too, could be ready for the ALCS.
Neither Scherzer nor Gray is likely to pitch deep into a game. It’s a good thing, then, that manager Bruce Bochy has several converted starters in his bullpen. Not all of them will make the roster if Scherzer and Gray both return, but even so, the Rangers have plenty of options to pitch the middle innings. A rotation of Montgomery, Eovaldi, Scherzer, and Gray (with Heaney, Dunning, and Perez providing depth) should give Texas a chance to win every time out.
The starting rotation was supposed to be a strength for the Rangers this year. At the best of times, it has been just that, but more often than not, it’s been a large, looming question mark instead. The questions will remain until Scherzer and Gray actually take the ball, but all the same, this rotation is in a better place than it has been for quite some time.
Will Venable Plans To Remain With Rangers
Will Venable is happy where he is, at least for the time being. The Rangers’ associate manager has drawn interest from numerous clubs with managerial openings, but he has told those teams that he will remain with Texas, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. This comes just days after Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that Venable was the “favorite” to succeed Terry Francona as manager of the Guardians. If that was indeed the case, Cleveland will have to change course.
Per Morosi’s report, the Guardians weren’t the only team with interest in Venable. While he didn’t reveal which other clubs had checked in, three others are currently looking for new managers: the Mets, the Giants, and the Angels.
After finishing his playing career in 2016, Venable briefly took a front office job with the Cubs the following year, signing on as a special assistant to then-president of baseball operations Theo Epstein. Soon after, he took on a coaching role instead, serving as the Cubs’ first base coach from 2018-19 and the third base coach in 2020. For the next two years, he worked as bench coach for the Red Sox, occasionally filling in as the skipper when Alex Cora was unavailable. Ahead of the 2023 season, Venable accepted a new job as associate manager for the Rangers, where he would work under Texas’ new manager Bruce Bochy.
Venable has previously interviewed for managerial openings with the Astros, Red Sox, Cubs, Giants, Tigers, and A’s, and presumably, he still has managerial aspirations for the future. Evidently, however, he is happy in his role with the Rangers for now. Not only does he get to learn from a three-time World Series-winning manager in Bochy, but given how well the Rangers have performed this year, it’s no surprise he wants to stick around.
White Sox Interested In Salvador Perez, Whit Merrifield
After a wholly disappointing 2023 season, the White Sox are already looking to the offseason ahead. New general manager Chris Getz is committed to improving the team for 2024, and considering just how much went wrong this past year, he has no shortage of areas to upgrade. As Bruce Levine reports for 670 The Score, the team has identified veterans Salvador Perez and Whit Merrifield as two potential offseason targets, and the front office has discussed the possibility of trading for Perez and signing Merrifield “at length.” Getz and manager Pedro Grifol are quite familiar with both players, having worked with them in the Royals organization.
With Yasmani Grandal reaching free agency after the World Series, the White Sox will need a new catcher in 2024. The 25-year-old Korey Lee is an option, but the top prospect didn’t look ready for full-time big league action this year, going 5-for-65 in 23 games across August and September. Meanwhile, 20-year-old Edgar Quero had a solid year at Double-A, but the promising young backstop still needs more seasoning in the minor leagues. With that in mind, it stands to reason the White Sox would be interested in a veteran catcher. Perez could handle the position next year, but he could also step into a smaller role if Lee or Quero forces the issue.
However, while a veteran catcher makes sense for Chicago, Perez in particular is something of a strange target. He is coming off a rough year at the plate (.714 OPS, 86 wRC+) and behind the dish. As he heads into his age-34 season, it’s not hard to believe the eight-time All-Star is entering the decline phase of his career. What’s more, Perez is owed $42MM over the next two seasons, plus a $2MM buyout on his club option for 2026, which is a lot of money for a player who could be past his prime. If the White Sox want the Royals to eat some of his salary, they’d have to send back a more enticing return package. That would seem counterproductive for a team trying to build a contender.
For their part, the Royals are under no pressure to trade their captain. Freddy Fermin could take over behind the dish if Perez were dealt, but the Royals don’t need to part with their longest-tenured player just to get Fermin more playing time. In addition, former catcher MJ Melendez has comfortably settled into a corner outfield role. Kansas City entertained the possibility of dealing Perez at the deadline (and the White Sox were among those interested), but a deal never materialized. Presumably, it would take the perfect offer for the Royals to trade Perez, and it might take even more for them to trade him to a division rival.
Merrifield spent the first six-plus years of his MLB career with Kansas City before he was traded to Toronto at last year’s deadline. While he has an $18MM mutual option with the Blue Jays for 2024, the team is likely to turn down the option, making Merrifield a free agent after the conclusion of the World Series. The 34-year-old didn’t have as strong a season as his All-Star selection would have you believe, but he remains a productive and durable veteran player. As a versatile defender and talented baserunner, he fits the bill of athleticism the White Sox are supposedly looking for.
In 2023, Merrifield split his time between second base and the corner outfield, and he could do the same for the White Sox in 2024. Chicago needs a second baseman, but shortstop Tim Anderson has suggested he’d be willing to move into that role. If Anderson is covering the keystone, Merrifield could fill a valuable platoon role in the corner outfield, covering for one of the White Sox’s many lefty batters (Andrew Benintendi, Oscar Colás, and Gavin Sheets) against left-handed pitching. Suffice it to say, he is a better fit for Chicago than his former Royals teammate.
Austin Slater Undergoes Elbow Surgery
Giants outfielder Austin Slater underwent surgery on his right elbow today, the team announced (as reported by Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle). He had a bone spur removed at the back of his elbow, as well as an ulnar nerve transposition to help relieve nerve pain. His rehab should take about four months, which means the 30-year-old would be ready to go next spring.
Slater took a couple of trips to the injured list this season with left hamstring strains, and he also missed time in September dealing with vertigo. Indeed, he has developed a bit of a reputation as an injury-prone player in recent years, spending time on the IL with hand, wrist, and groin injuries, as well as a concussion. His elbow issues have also caused him trouble for years, although he has been able to play through the pain. While he missed time this past spring training with elbow neuritis, he has never gone on the IL with an elbow injury.
One of the longest-tenured players on the Giants roster, Slater made his debut for San Francisco in 2017. He broke out during the shortened 2020 season, slashing .282/.408/.506 in 31 games, and he has remained an above-average hitter in the years since, albeit in a platoon role. Over the last three seasons, he has posted a 114 wRC+, largely due to his excellent performance against left-handed pitching. The veteran is also a versatile defender, capable of playing all three outfield positions, plus first base in a pinch.
Slater will be arbitration-eligible for the fourth and final time this winter and is projected to earn $3.6MM next year. He is set to reach free agency the following offseason, and with a healthy and pain-free elbow, he’ll hope to put up an impressive walk year in 2024.