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White Sox Sign Billy Hamilton To Minors Deal

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The Chicago White Sox added Billy Hamilton to their spring camp today on a minor league contract, per the Athletic’s James Fegan (via Twitter). Hamilton was recently let go by the White Sox’ division rival in Cleveland.

In the short term, Hamilton can plug the hole in center while Luis Robert gets himself back to full speed. Long-term, it will be interesting to see if Chicago decides to make room for the speedster. The White Sox already are facing a bit of a roster crunch. Their 40-man roster is currently full, and presumably, they’ll soon need to open a spot for Jonathan Lucroy if they plan on making him their backup catcher. Andrew Vaughn is also expected to receive playing time on the big-league roster at some point this season, and he’ll need to be added to the 40-man as well.

Otherwise, the White Sox are a relatively good fit for Hamilton. Broadly speaking, the White Sox are a more traditional franchise, and manager Tony La Russa might like having an NL-style speedster on his bench to play around with. As of now, Adam Engel is the team’s fourth outfielder, while Leury Garcia can also play with his cleats in the grass. Micker Adolfo, Luis Gonzalez, and Blake Rutherford are the other outfielders on the 40-man roster.

Brewers To Add Travis Shaw To 40-Man Roster

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11:25 am: The Brewers have announced the move. Mark Mathias has been placed on the 60-day injured list because of a torn labrum in his shoulder.

8:28 am: As expected today, Travis Shaw informed the Brewers of his plans to execute an opt-out clause in his contract if the Brewers did not guarantee his contract for the 2021 season. The Brewers complied, guaranteeing Shaw $1.5MM in 2021 with an additional $1.5MM in incentives still on the table, per Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Twitter). The Brewers 40-man roster is currently full, so they will need to make a corresponding move before officially adding Shaw to the payroll.

Shaw will likely open the season as the Brewers starting third baseman, though it’s reasonable to expect he’ll be rested against southpaws. With right-handers Luis Urias and Orlando Arcia competing at shortstop, plus another right-hander in Daniel Robertson as a potential bench bat, there are more than enough options to take the small side of a straight platoon. For his career, Shaw is a 110 wRC+ hitter against right-handers and a 79 wRC+ hitter against lefties. If Shaw is able to produce at that rate against right-handed pitchers in 2021, he’ll more than cover the cost of his salary.

Of course, averages don’t tell nearly the whole picture in Shaw’s case. His best seasons in the Majors came in Milwaukee as he posted a 3.5 fWAR campaign in 2017 and backed it up with a 3.7 fWAR season in 2018. His worst year came immediately after, however, as Shaw and the Brewers saw his production tumble to a shocking .157/.281/.270 line across 270 plate appearances worth -0.8 fWAR. He found more of a middle ground in his one season with the Blue Jays, slashing .239/.306/.411 over 180 plate appearances with a 8.9 percent walk rate and 27.8 percent strikeout rate. That’s a slightly below-average walk rate and slightly above-average strikeout rate, but he did, at least, cut down his strikeouts after striking out 33.0 percent of the time during his disastrous 2019 campaign.

Blue Jays Pick Up Charlie Montoyo’s 2022 Option

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The Blue Jays have secured manager Charlie Montoyo for the 2022 season. GM Ross Atkins announced the move on a Zoom call today, per Scott Mitchell of TSN Sports (via Twitter) and others. Officially, Toronto picked up their option for the 2022 season. Through two seasons, Montoyo’s Blue Jays have a 99-123 record.

The Jays hired Montoyo from the Rays before the 2019 season to a three-year deal with an option for a fourth. With that option now executed, Montoyo heads into a fairly critical season. Expectations are sky high for the Blue Jays for the first time in Montoyo’s tenure. Montoyo helped Toronto end a three-year playoff drought last season. Speaking hypothetically, if the Jays under-perform in 2021 and finish, say, with 85 wins and outside of the money, the Jays would face a difficult decision on Montoyo heading into a lame duck season. If, on the other hand, the Jays are able to sneak past the Rays and Yankees to win the AL East, an extension could be in order for their 55-year-old manager.

Before taking over in Toronto, Montoyo spent 18 seasons managing in the Rays’ system. He spent three seasons with the Major League team as the third base coach before replacing Tom Foley as Kevin Cash’s bench coach for the 2018 season. Montoyo finished third in AL Manager of the Year award voting in 2020.  Last April, Montoyo made history with Alex Cora of the Red Sox in the first-ever MLB match-up featuring two Puerto Rican managers.

NL Notes: Padres, Preller’s Winter, Cubs, Extension Talks, Shelby Miller

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There was a point in the offseason when Padres’ GM A.J. Preller almost acquired Blake Snell, Yu Darvish, and Joe Musgrove on the same day, he said on Jon Heyman and Tony Gwynn Jr.’s Big Time Baseball podcast. Ultimately, it took a span of roughly three weeks to get all three arms dressed in brown, white, and gold. The deals took some finagling, as at one point, at least one of the players who ultimately went to Tampa Bay was slated for both the Snell and Darvish deals. Once the Snell deal went through, Preller and the Cubs had to renegotiate and swap in new names. Preller did not say which of the Rays’ new prospects was also coveted by the Cubs. But he did touch on their pursuit of one-time free agent and current Los Angeles Dodger Trevor Bauer. Preller and the Padres felt Bauer was going to take his time making a decision, and they didn’t want to be left holding the bag, so to speak, if he chose to go elsewhere. The Padres executed their trade plans instead, completing the most dramatic winters in recent memory. Despite the myriad additions, the Padres will have room for an in-season addition, should they feel the need, noted Preller. More on the Cubs…

  • After months – years, even – of trade speculation around their star core, the Cubs see varying levels of uncertainty around the respective futures of Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, or Kris Bryant, writes Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago. Bryant seems destined for free agency. Rizzo is confident that he’ll remain a Cub beyond 2021, and the Cubs’ affection for Rizzo has never wavered. He’s the likeliest of the trio to receive an extension. Baez wants an extension, but given the potential options in free agency next winter, the Cubs would be wise to wait unless the Wasserman client succumbs to team friendly terms. Our speculation need not end on April 1st, however. Unlike some other players seeking extensions – namely and most apropos, Francisco Lindor – Baez has no problem continuing extension talks into the season, notes Wittenmyer. It’s worth noting that Wasserman also represents Kyle Hendricks, with whom the Cubs worked out an extension late in March, 2019.
  • Newfound command of his slider has helped Shelby Miller make a compelling case to make the Cubs’ roster, per Meghan Montemurro and Lamond Pope of the Chicago Tribune. Said Miller, “Opposing hitters have to respect a whole other pitch that they haven’t seen. I’ve just got to keep throwing it, and hopefully it gets better. And I’m just going to go out there and get outs. That’s all I can say really.” Miller is a long shot to make the rotation out of camp with Hendricks, Zach Davies, Jake Arrieta, Trevor Williams, Alec Mills, and Adbert Alzolay ahead of Miller in the pecking order. He’s in the mix for a bullpen spot, however. A lot may depend on whether Alzolay is granted another option season. If not, he’ll be on the roster in one form or another. Miller is a non-roster invitee who would need to be added to the 40-man roster to make the team. The Cubs have one open 40-man roster spot.

West Notes: Mariners, Giants, Padres, Angels

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The Mariners aren’t favorites to push for a playoff spot in 2021, but if they’re in contention during the season, making a deal for a controllable starting pitcher is “definitely” something they would consider, general manager Jerry Dipoto told MLB Network Radio on Monday. Dipoto, who’s never shy about making trades, said Seattle would “jump at” the chance to better its rotation if the opportunity presents itself. The Mariners are slated to begin the season with Marco Gonzales, James Paxton, Yusei Kikuchi and Justus Sheffield as locks in a southpaw-heavy group of six, while righty Chris Flexen will take up a spot and Nick Margevicius and Justin Dunn are competing for the last position.

  • Giants left-hander Alex Wood is dealing with a stiff back and will visit a spine specialist, Kerry Crowley of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets. It’s troubling news for Wood, whom injuries have slowed in the past, including during the previous two seasons. Wood threw just 35 2/3 innings as a Red in 2019 while battling back problems and then totaled only 12 2/3 frames last year as a Dodger on account of shoulder issues. The Giants nonetheless signed Wood to a $3MM guarantee, and if he’s healthy, he’s expected to occupy a spot in their rotation. For now, though, it looks as if the Giants’ season-opening starting staff will consist of Kevin Gausman, Johnny Cueto, Anthony DeSclafani, Aaron Sanchez and Logan Webb.
  • More unwelcome news for the Giants’ pitching staff, per Crowley, who reports that right-hander Dedniel Nunez sprained the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow and will go for a second opinion. San Francisco took the 24-year-old from the Mets in last December’s Rule 5 Draft, but the Giants could elect to cut ties with Nunez in the event of a serious injury.
  • Outfielder/infielder Jorge Mateo is in good position to earn a roster spot with the Padres, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com writes. Mateo, who’s competing against Brian O’Grady and Jorge Ona for a bench role, joined the Padres in a trade with the Athletics last June and went on to make his major league debut. The former top 100 prospect hit a weak .154/.185/.269 without a home run during that stretch, however, and with no minor league options remaining, it could be a make-or-break spring training if he’s going to stick with the Padres.
  • The Angels announced that righty Felix Pena departed their game Monday with right hamstring irritation. There haven’t been further updates on Pena’s status. Since his first year with the Angels in 2018, Pena has eaten up plenty of innings (215 2/3) and pitched to a 4.34 ERA. He finished third among Angels relievers with 26 2/3 frames last year.

East Notes: Yankees, Phillies, Rays

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The latest from the majors’ East divisions…

  • Yankees left-handed reliever Zack Britton’s arthroscopic elbow surgery on Monday went according to plan, manager Aaron Boone announced to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com and other reporters. Boone didn’t provide a timeline for when Britton could return, but it was initially reported that the Yankees might go three to four months without their integral setup man. Meanwhile, third baseman Miguel Andujar has “a muscle strain” in his right hand/wrist and “a bit of a nerve issue,” Marly Rivera of ESPN tweets. Again, though, there’s no official word on how long Andujar will have to sit out.
  • Phillies righty Spencer Howard didn’t make his scheduled outing Monday on account of back spasms, per manager Joe Girardi (via Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer). While the severity of the issue is unknown, it may make it even less likely for Howard to win a season-opening spot on the Phillies’ roster. Howard could eventually emerge as part of the solution in the Phillies’ rotation, but he only managed a 5.92 ERA/4.87 SIERA during his 24 1/3-inning major league debut last season.
  • Sticking with the Phillies, infielder/outfielder Brad Miller is dealing with an oblique strain, Matt Gelb of The Athletic relays. Girardi said the Phillies will re-evaluate Miller in five to six days, but the club has not ruled him out for Opening Day. Miller, who previously played with the Phillies in 2019, reunited with the team on a one-year, $3.5MM guarantee in the offseason. He earned that payday after slashing .232/.357/.451 with seven home runs in 171 plate appearances a Cardinal a season ago.
  • Rays outfielder Brett Phillips will miss three to four weeks with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Phillips suffered the injury Sunday, and it now appears the 2020 playoff hero will sit out until at least the middle of April. However, the Rays still have Kevin Kiermaier, Randy Arozarena, Austin Meadows, Manuel Margot and Yoshi Tsutsugo available in the outfield.

Reds Considering Using Eugenio Suarez At Shortstop

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Eugenio Suarez hasn’t gotten significant reps at shortstop since 2015, but the Reds may use him there this season. With Suarez having lost 15 pounds since last season, the team is considering him as an option at short, manager David Bell told Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer and other reporters Monday. He’ll start there for the team in its game against the Rockies on Tuesday.

Suarez has been the Reds’ primary third baseman since 2016, but the team has a capable hot corner replacement in Mike Moustakas, who has spent the majority of his career at the position. Moustakas was mostly a second baseman last season, and he’s penciled in as the Reds’ starter at the keystone this year. However, if Suarez shifts to short, it could open up second for Jonathan India, Nightengale notes. India, the fifth overall pick in the 2018 draft, hasn’t played above the Double-A level yet, though Bell said last week that the 24-year-old has a legitimate chance to make the Reds’ Opening Day roster.

When the offseason began, expectations were that the Reds would acquire a shortstop in free agency or via trade (Didi Gregorius, Marcus Semien, Andrelton Simmons and Ha-Seong Kim were all on the open market), as Freddy Galvis, Jose Garcia and Kyle Farmer combined for just 0.1 fWAR at the spot. Galvis has since left for the Orioles, while Garcia was clearly in over his head in his first major league action. Nevertheless, the Reds didn’t sign any shortstops to a big league deal or land a proven option in a trade, and it could now lead them to reinstall Suarez at the position this year.

Suarez has the bat for shortstop, having slashed .261/.342/.473 with 162 home runs in 3,433 plate appearances, but it’s up in the air whether the 29-year-old would perform well in the field. In 96 games at short in 2015, Suarez posted miserable marks with minus-12 Defensive Runs Saved and a minus-10.4 Ultimate Zone Rating.

Ryan Braun “Strongly Leaning” Toward Retirement

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As of February, free-agent outfielder Ryan Braun said he wasn’t interested in continuing his playing career. That still seems to be the case, as Braun stated in a radio interview Monday that he hasn’t touched a baseball or a bat since last season ended, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com tweets. Braun also revealed that he’s “strongly leaning” toward retirement, though he’s not ready to commit to a decision yet.

If the 37-year-old Braun does continue his career, it appears it will have to be with the Brewers – the only organization he has known since he went fifth overall in the 2015 draft. Braun admitted that he “can’t foresee a scenario in which I play for any other major league team,” per Will Sammon of The Athletic.

In the event it’s Brewers or bust for Braun, then the longtime left fielder probably is done. After all, the club already has Lorenzo Cain, Christian Yelich, the newly signed Jackie Bradley Jr. and Avisail Garcia as its top four outfielders. Braun has a bit of first base experience on his resume, but the Brewers are committed to Keston Hiura at that position. It would be easier to envision a Braun-Brewers reunion had the National League kept the designated hitter for 2021, but that’s not happening.

If Braun is done, he’ll exit as a six-time All-Star and a onetime MVP in his league. Braun owns a stellar .296/.358/.,532 line with 352 home runs and 216 stolen bases in 7,340 plate appearances, though he batted a career-worst .233/.281/.488 with eight HRs and one steal over 141 PA last year.

Athletics Return Rule 5 Pick Dany Jimenez To Blue Jays

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The Athletics announced that they have returned Rule 5 Draft pick Dany Jimenez to the Blue Jays. The A’s also reinstated fellow right-hander Frankie Montas from the COVID-19 injured list.

Jimenez, who turned 27 in December, was a Rule 5 pick in back-to-back offseasons (the Giants took him in 2019), but he has seen little major league action thus far. He pitched 1 1/3 innings with the Giants across two appearances last year. The Double-A level is the highest Jimenez has climbed in the minors, and he logged an excellent 1.87 ERA while averaging more than 12 strikeouts per nine in 33 2/3 innings there in 2019.

Now that he’s back with the Jays, Jimenez will report to major league camp as a non-roster invitee, Scott Mitchell of TSN tweets.

Robinson Chirinos To Undergo Surgery

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MARCH 15: Manager Aaron Boone told Marly Rivera of ESPN and other reporters that Chirinos will undergo surgery Tuesday. He’ll need four to six weeks to recover.

MARCH 11: Catcher Robinson Chirinos has been diagnosed with a fractured right wrist, the Yankees announced.  “Wrist and hand specialists will be consulted in the coming days to determine best next steps,” according to the team’s official statement.  Chirinos suffered the injury after being hit by a pitch during yesterday’s game with the Pirates.

Chirinos was in camp on a minor league deal, signed to provide some catching depth and perhaps give Kyle Higashioka some competition for the backup catching job.  Since Chirinos has been roughly a league-average hitter over his nine MLB seasons, this track record made him perhaps a touch overqualified for the “Spring Training depth catcher” role, which could have been indicative of how the Yankees were approaching the catching position given Gary Sanchez’s struggles in 2020.  However, Chirinos’ chances of making the Opening Day roster are now over, and he could possibly face a lengthy layoff depending on the severity of his fracture.

Bothered by an ankle injury for much of 2020, Chirinos struggled through an ugly season that saw him hit only .162/.232/.243 over 82 combined plate appearances with the Rangers and Mets.  It was a big step back for a catcher who had been a productive bat for much of his career, hitting .234/.329/.439 with 85 homers over 2043 PA with the Rays, Rangers, and Astros from 2011-19.

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