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NPB’s Yakult Swallows Sign Jose Osuna, In Talks To Acquire Cy Sneed

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Jose Osuna announced on his Instagram page that he has signed with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball.  Pirates GM Ben Cherington recently suggested that Osuna would be heading to play in Asia after Pittsburgh designated Osuna for assignment and subsequently released him earlier this week.  In addition to Osuna, the Swallows seem to be close to landing another recent big leaguer, as multiple reports out of Japan have Astros right-hander Cy Sneed in talks with the Tokyo club.

Over four seasons and 705 plate appearances with the Pirates, Osuna hit .241/.280/.430 and saw significant playing time at first base, third base, and both corner outfield positions.  This versatility didn’t help him keep a job on the Bucs’ roster, however, as the DFA essentially represented an early non-tender.  Osuna was projected to earn $1.1MM in his first trip through the arbitration process.

An international signing out of Venezuela in 2009, Osuna has spent his entire 11-year pro career in the Pirates organization, so the move to NPB will represent a particularly notable change of scenery.  Osuna doesn’t turn 28 until December, so there’s plenty of time for him to get his career on track and then weigh continuing playing in Japan or perhaps exploring a return to North American baseball.

Sneed is also entering his age-28 season, and the righty has a 5.59 ERA, 2.93 K/BB rate, and 10.2 K/9 over 38 2/3 career innings with Houston at the Major League level.  Home runs have been a big issue for Sneed (1.9 HR/9), but he also had some bad luck, with a .367 BABIP during his brief time in the Show.

Sneed has worked only as a reliever during his two seasons with the Astros, usually appearing in a multi-inning capacity in 2019 before seeing a lot more single-inning duty this year.  He started 155 of his 216 career games in the minor leagues, so it’s possible he could get another look as a starter with the Swallows.

There haven’t been any reports of Sneed being designated or released by Houston, so it would seem that some type of deal will have to be worked out (or has been worked out) between the Astros and Swallows.  While Sneed is a controllable pitcher who has yet to even lose his rookie status, it could be that he just isn’t in the Astros’ long-term plans, so a move to NPB represents a new opportunity for the right-hander.

Yadier Molina Says Five Teams Have Shown Interest

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Yadier Molina has long stated that he wants to remain with the Cardinals, and he reiterated that hope in an interview with Laura A. Bonnelly V. of Mas Que Pelota (hat tip to Deportivo Z 101’s Hector Gomez).  However, Molina also revealed four other teams who have shown interest in his services — the Yankees, Mets, Padres, and Angels.

The two New York clubs had already been linked to Molina’s market, and the Cards have been in talks for seemingly close to a year about another contract to keep Molina in St. Louis.  The Angels and Padres are new additions to the hunt, however, and each represents an interesting possible landing spot for the nine-time Gold Glover.

At first glance, San Diego already seems set at catcher, with Austin Nola behind the plate, former top prospect Francisco Mejia slated as the backup and star prospect Luis Campusano making his MLB debut this season.  Signing Molina, however, would add immeasurably more experience and some veteran leadership to a team that plans to contend for a championship in 2021.  While Nola’s ability to catch makes him a particularly valuable utility asset, he can also play several other positions around the diamond; the Padres could use Nola in a somewhat normal backup catcher role to spell Molina once a week, and then otherwise deploy him at other positions.

Molina has expressed interest in a two-year contract, but even if Molina were to land such a deal, that wouldn’t be much of a roadblock to Campusano as the Padres’ eventual catcher of the future.  Mejia could be the odd man out if Molina joined the team, as Mejia has yet to show much over parts of four MLB seasons with the Indians and Padres.  That said, Mejia has only 362 career plate appearances, only just turned 25, and was a consensus top-35 prospect as recently as the 2018-19 offseason, so he would still be an interesting trade chip if the Padres made him expendable.

There are some obvious family ties for Molina in Anaheim, as his brother Jose is the Angels’ catching coach, and his other brother Bengie spent his first eight MLB seasons in an Angels uniform.  Yadier would also be reunited with his old Cardinals teammate Albert Pujols for the final season of Pujols’ ten-year, $240MM deal with the Halos.

Beyond the personal connections, Molina would also fill a need for Los Angeles since Max Stassi could miss the start of the season after undergoing hip surgery in October.  Depending on how quickly Stassi recovers, the Angels could start Molina (and use Anthony Bemboom as the backup) until Stassi is ready, and then potentially move into something closer to a timeshare, though it’s probably safe to guess Molina might end up getting the bulk of the action.

Blue Jays Interested In Brad Hand

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The Blue Jays’ long list of free agent targets has extended to the bullpen market, as MLB Network’s Jon Morosi tweets that Toronto was recently in touch with left-hander Brad Hand.  The former All-Star entered free agency after the Indians declined their $10MM club option on Hand’s services.

Hand was placed on waivers by the Tribe prior to that declined option, as Cleveland was looking to save paying Hand a $1MM buyout by exposing him to any team willing to make a claim.  All 29 teams (including Toronto) passed on Hand at the time, which is possibly indicative of how clubs are viewing spending on relief pitching this winter.  In an offseason where more or less every team will be dealing with payroll limitations, a $10MM average annual value even for an established star reliever like Hand could be a reach.

The Jays are thought to have more spending capacity than most teams this winter, however, which is part of the reason they have been so quick to explore so many of the top names available.  While they might not have been comfortable claiming Hand back in October, the Blue Jays would certainly seem to have a fit for Hand at the back of their bullpen.  With Ken Giles being out for much of the 2020 season, six different pitchers recorded saves for the Jays last year — Anthony Bass led the way with seven saves, but Bass is now a free agent himself.

Rafael Dolis and Jordan Romano represent a pair of intriguing in-house closer candidates, so as Morosi notes, signing an established closer like Hand may be more of a need than a want for Toronto.  That said, there is certainly value in being able to roll out multiple strong relievers, especially for a Jays team that has a few questions marks within its starting rotation.

Reds GM Nick Krall Discusses Pitching Staff

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Reds general manager Nick Krall recently discussed the team’s pitching outlook for 2021 with reporters (including Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer). The baseball operations head said he wouldn’t rule out a reunion with top free agent Trevor Bauer but reiterated that the parties “haven’t really had substantial conversations” to this point.

Should Bauer depart, the Reds have no shortage of arms who could compete for rotation spots behind Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, Tyler Mahle and Wade Miley. Recently-acquired Jeff Hoffman could be in that mix, as are Tejay Antone and Michael Lorenzen. Krall also pointed to former top prospect José De León, who struggled in five relief appearances last season but saw his velocity spike into the mid-90’s and remains on the 40-man roster. Brandon Bailey, acquired from the Astros last week, also has starting experience in the minors but is seen as more of a bullpen option for Cincinnati, Krall said.

Of course, there’s also been some discussion of a possible Gray trade. Krall didn’t deny reports the organization is listening to offers on Gray. He did, however, downplay the significance, suggesting those discussions were mostly due diligence. It certainly remains possible another team bowls the Reds over with an offer in the coming months, but Nightengale suggests the most likely outcome is that Gray stays put into next season.

MLBTR Poll: Grading The Braves’ Recent Signings

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The Braves have easily been the offseason’s most active team in the early going. Atlanta has made a pair of rotation additions, signing southpaw Drew Smyly to a one-year, $11MM deal and bringing in Charlie Morton for one year at $15MM.

Single-year terms has become a staple of the Alex Anthopoulos regime in Atlanta. They’ve had plenty of success with short-term additions of Josh Donaldson and Marcell Ozuna, but last winter’s Cole Hamels signing didn’t pan out as the left-hander’s year was derailed by injury. The front office decided to roll the dice on a new pair of veteran hurlers after coming up one game shy of a pennant in 2020.

Each of Morton and Smyly was indeed projected by the MLBTR staff to ink one-year deals this winter. However, both pitchers pulled in a bit more money than anticipated during what is widely expected to be a frigid offseason in the wake of teams suffering massive revenue losses. Morton picked up $7MM more than anticipated, while Smyly’s deal came in $6MM above expectation.

There are plenty of reasons the Braves’ front office decided to jump the market on these specific pitchers. Morton put up ace-caliber numbers from 2017-19 and rounded back into form down the stretch after a difficult start this past season. Smyly has battled injuries and inconsistency throughout his career but flashed a new level for the Giants in 2020. The 31-year-old showed massively improved raw stuff and generated whiffs in bunches en route to a 2.01 FIP. He’ll need to prove he can sustain those gains for more than 26.1 innings, but it’s easy to see the upside.

One other factor worth considering: the qualifying offer. Neither Morton nor Smyly has received one in the past, meaning they’ll be eligible for the QO next winter if they spend the entire season in Atlanta.  It’s not especially likely either player warrants a QO in eleven months. Morton would be entering his age-38 season and might not even wish to keep playing; Smyly’s a year removed from a 6.24 ERA season. But the same would’ve been true of Kevin Gausman a year ago, and he sufficiently rehabilitated his value during his platform year to earn a qualifying offer from the Giants this offseason.

So, how do MLBTR readers feel about the Braves’ two new additions? Grade each deal from the team’s perspective. (poll links for app users)

 

Latest On Randy Arozarena

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NOVEMBER 26: Arozarena has been released from detention, per a report from Mexican newspaper PorEsto (via John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times). Arozarena and his former partner reached an agreement in which she declined to pursue legal action, reports ESPN’s Victor Alvarez. (The player’s attorney told PorEsto the presiding judge had determined there was not enough evidence for the outfielder to face charges). The MLB/MLBPA domestic violence policy permits the league to levy discipline even in the absence of criminal charges, so the league is expected to continue its investigation.

NOVEMBER 24: Randy Arozarena is under investigation from the league’s department of investigations after the Rays outfielder was detained in Mexico, ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan reports (Twitter links).  Two different Mexican media outlets (the Yucatan Ahora and Diaro de Yucatan) have reported on the alleged incident, and John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times has detailed the differences between the two accounts.

Arozarena is alleged to have tried to take his daughter away from the child’s mother after he arrived at the woman’s house, according to the Yucatan Ahora, and was also reportedly involved in a physical altercation with the woman’s father.  Abel Guerra, Arozarena’s agent, told Romano that Arozarena was never married to the woman, correcting the Ahora’s description of the woman’s father as Arozarena’s former father-in-law.  The Ahora reported that Arozarena was being held on abduction charges while the Diaro de Yucatan said he was being held on charges of violence against a woman.  The exact nature of Arozarena’s charges aren’t yet known, as police haven’t yet commented on the situation.

Guerra hadn’t yet been in touch with his client, but told Romano that he had been in contact with other members of Arozarena’s family.  “The only thing I know is he was hyper-sensitive about making sure that the child’s needs were being taken care of.  He was always sending money down there, and he was very involved in her life,” Guerra said.  “I don’t want to speculate about (anything else)….When it comes to family issues there are always layers of complexity.  Everything is perspective.  Hopefully everything clears itself up.  It’s a horrible, unfortunate situation.”

Passan notes that any league discipline in regards to the incident would fall under the MLB/MLBPA joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.  This policy gives the league broad purview to issue suspensions of indeterminate length, depending on each individual situation.

Acquired by the Rays from the Cardinals last winter, Arozarena rose to prominence with a 1.022 OPS over 76 plate appearances in the regular season, and then an even better 1.219 OPS (.358/.429/.790) over 91 PA during Tampa’s postseason run.  Arozarena hit 10 homers throughout the playoffs and captured ALCS MVP honors along the way.

What Should The A’s Do About Left Field?

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The Oakland A’s may look to offset the potential loss of left fielder Robbie Grossman with organizational depth. According to MLB.com’s Martín Gallegos, the A’s suspect 28-year-old Seth Brown could play an important role – but it’s now or never for the Oregon native. Brown’s combination of power and patience is a skill set the A’s have shown a fondness for over the years, and he played well during a 2019 call-up: .293/.361/.453 in 83 plate appearances.

From 2017 to 2019, Brown made the progressive leaps an organization likes to see as he jumped from High-A to Double-A to Triple-A in successive seasons. He earned his time on the big-league roster in 2019 after an impressive .297/.352/.634 line with 37 home runs in just 112 games at the highest level of the minors.

Grossman himself was somewhat of a late bloomer, cutting his teeth on unfortunate Astros squads of 2013 and 2014. He would be released by the Astros and then the Indians before finding a home in Minnesota. After three seasons of part-time work that culminated in a solid 1.7 bWAR season in 2018, the Twinkies cut him loose, too.

Hello, Oakland. Grossman’s 2020 output was easily the most productive season of his career, but those considering him in free agency must gauge whether his power display during the shortened 2020 season is the final step of his development or a small-sample burst. His .240 ISO this season far outpaced his career mark of .127 ISO.

All in all, Grossman’s skill set isn’t flashy, but that hasn’t stopped him from posting an above-average wRC+ in four of the last five seasons. If a market doesn’t develop for Grossman, the A’s could seek a reunion. Grossman and Brown both hit from the left side, of course, making for a ham-handed timeshare between the two.

Enter Chad Pinder, who could be in line for more regular playing time. Pinder has long been a short-side platoon utility player for the A’s, but his bat played up in a major way during their playoff run. Pinder was often penciled into the number three spot in the order while standing in for the injured Matt Chapman at the hot corner. Pinder could easily line up with Ramon Laureano and Mark Canha against lefties, but Stephen Piscotty should also be back in the lineup. The A’s could be intrigued by the possibility of more face time for the soon-to-be 29-year-old Pinder, but much of that time may have to come at second base, where Tony Kemp currently tops the depth chart.

All of which is to say, expect the A’s to slow-play the market this offseason and see where the value play lies. They’d like to explore the possibility of bringing back Tommy La Stella, who would expect a majority of the timeshare at the keystone. A long-time part-time player who almost retired many years ago when the Cubs sent him to Triple-A, La Stella is not likely to cherish a return to diminished responsibilities.

Add to the outfield mix ML-ready prospects Luis Barrera and Greg Deichmann – the latter of whom, Gallegos notes, was just added to the 40-man roster – and the A’s could head into 2021 as currently constituted with plenty of options to throw at the wall.

The real issue for the A’s is building a bridge between Marcus Semien and prospect Nick Allen at short. Allen’s defensive prowess is considerable, but the 5’8″ 22-year-old glove last appeared in High-A with a slash line of .292/.363/.434. Normal circumstances would dictate another year in the minors for Allen, but these days the development curve is more blueprint than model.

If Allen is close, Pinder could hold the line at short, but he’s totaled just 34 innings as the infield captain since 2017. Assuming they’re not ready to simply hand the keys to the car over to Allen, the A’s will focus their free agent energy (aka, dollars) on finding a short-term fix to keep the spot warm.

The A’s, like the Rays, are comfortable fielding a dynamic offensive lineup that shape-shifts as needed throughout the regular season. They’ll dole out playing time piecemeal until settling on the right mix. That could mean an increased share for Brown, but the A’s are sure to have ways to flex the roster if he’s unable to claim it.

AL East Notes: Rays, Franco, Red Sox, Benintendi, Cora, Pedroia

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Rays top prospect Wander Franco is on his way back to the United States for precautionary tests on the bicep injury that forced him out of the lineup in the Winter League, according to John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). The Dominican League reported news of Franco’s discomfort last week, but it seemed like a minor injury at the time. Coming back stateside certainly adds a note of concern, but that’s still not much to go on. For the time being, it’s safe to presume the best. While we await further updates, let’s check in on the Rays division rival…

  • There’s some concern that Andrew Benintendi won’t be able to regain the form that made him a top prospect before his debut in 2016, writes Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. Boston’s left fielder slashed .290/.366/.465, good for 4.5 bWAR as a 23-year-old in 2018. He’s backslid since then, culminating in an injury-marred 2020. More than the .103/.314/.128 line he posted in just 14 games this season, the concern is that Benintendi no longer registers the sprint speed he booked early in his career. Speier provides some disquieting quotes from talent evaluators who don’t see Benintendi developing into the star many expected. There’s not much chance of Boston exploring a trade with his value at an all-time low. For now, the 26-year-old should have plenty of leash to build back his value in 2021.
  • Before he was the manager of the Boston Red Sox, Alex Cora mentored Dustin Pedroia in the early stages of the second baseman’s career. Now, as that career appears to be nearing an end, Cora is again nearby to lend an ear, writes Chris Cotillo of Masslive.com. Cora won’t reveal anything about Pedroia’s plans for the future, but he did speak glowingly about the impact he has continued to have on the team, even if he hasn’t been healthy enough to contribute on the diamond. It’s largely expected that Pedroia will announce his retirement before the 2021 season, but nothing has been made official.

This Day In Transaction History: Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving isn’t usually a barnburner of a day as far as baseball transactions are concerned, but that’s pattern more than rule. Most years something official happens along the lines of Matt Skole signing with the White Sox in 2019 or Jason Lane signing with the Padres in 2014 – but  three years in particular gave us a heaping portion of baseball news befitting turkey day: 2005, 2007, 2009. While we wait to see what happens this year, let’s go back and look at some of the most impactful moves made on Thanksgiving day.

  • Last year was a quiet Thanksgiving day, but there was plenty to talk about. If you recall, we were just one day removed from the four-player Brewers/Padres swap that saw Trent Grisham and Zach Davies land in San Diego. MLBTR readers weighed in on Thanksgiving with more people preferring the Brewers’ side of the deal. The Brew Crew landed promising infielder Luis Urías and potential rotation arm Eric Lauer. A year removed, my guess is the public sentiment may have changed. This one might need more time to gestate, however, before a final determination can be made.
  • On this same date and day in history, the Cleveland Indians signed an amateur free agent that changed the fortunes of their franchise. Jose Ramirez – a 17-year-old amateur free agent out of Dominican Republic – signed on Thursday, November 26, 2009. He would debut in the Majors just four years later as a 20-year-old.
  • On the same day, the Toronto Blue Jays struck in free agency signing shortstop Álex González to a free agent contract. Of course, this isn’t the Alex Gonzalez most Blue Jays fans will remember best. This A-Gon spent just a few months north of the border. He was traded to the Braves on July 14th of the following season as part of a four-player deal that sent Yunel Escobar and Jo-Jo Reyes to Toronto. Escobar would net 8.6 bWAR across 2 1/2 seasons with the Jays, while Reyes would be claimed off waivers by the Orioles later that season.
  • In 2007, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim invested heavily in a free agent centerfielder who had spent the entirety of his career to that point in the Twin Cities. Torii Hunter signed for $89.5MM over five years to roam the grass in Anaheim. He’d win two Gold Gloves and make two All-Star teams while racking up 20.7 bWAR as an Angel. They got their money’s worth as Hunter would post the best two seasons of his career by bWAR while with the Angels (2009, 2012).
  • The Cincinnati Reds signed Miguel Rojas as an amateur free agent on November 24, 2005. Rojas would stay in the Reds’ minor league system for a full six seasons before being granted free agency and joining the Dodgers in 2012.
  • That same season, the Marlins did some work with two significant trades on Thanksgiving. The first sent Carlos Delgado and cash to the Mets for Grant Psomas, Mike Jacobs and Yusmeiro Petit. Delgado spent just one season in Florida, but he did grab a 6th-place MVP finish that year for slashing .301/.399/.582 with 33 bombs.
  • Their other deal helped bring the second title of the century to the Red Sox. The Fish traded Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota to Boston for Jesus Delgado, Harvey Garcia, Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez. Sanchez would have a number of solid years with the Fish, while Hanley Ramirez developed into a cornerstone shortstop and the face of the franchise.

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