Pablo Sandoval Signs With Mexican League’s Acereros De Monclova
Pablo Sandoval is headed to the Mexican League for the 2022 season. The Acereros de Monclova announced this evening (Spanish-language link) that they’ve signed the two-time MLB All-Star.
Sandoval, a client of Beverly Hills Sports Council, has appeared in parts of fourteen MLB seasons. He made his big league debut with the Giants in 2008, and he’d established himself as an everyday player by the following season. The switch-hitting Sandoval hit a remarkable .330/.387/.556 across 633 plate appearances during his age-22 campaign, finishing seventh in NL MVP balloting that year. That showing cemented him as a key member of a burgeoning core that would go on to win three of the following five World Series titles.
There’s no doubt Sandoval was a huge part of that success. He appeared in at least 108 regular season games each season between 2010-14, posting above-average offensive numbers (by measure of wRC+) in every season other than 2010. The Kung Fu Panda again earned some down ballot MVP support in 2011, and he was downright excellent during the Giants’ 2012 and 2014 postseason runs. He claimed World Series MVP honors in the former season, thanks to an 8-16 showing in a sweep over the Tigers. And while he didn’t receive any postseason awards in 2014, his 12-28 performance in that year’s World Series helped San Francisco narrowly defeat the Royals in a tightly-contested seven-game battle.
Following the 2014 season, Sandoval signed a five-year, $95MM contract with the Red Sox. That proved a sizable misstep for then Boston-GM Ben Cherington, as Sandoval’s production tanked fairly quickly thereafter. He hit only .245/.292/.366 in his first season with the Sox. That proved to be his final year as an everyday player, as he hasn’t topped 300 plate appearances in any season since. The Venezuela native missed almost all of 2016 recovering from a labrum injury, then got off to a terrible start to the 2017 campaign. Boston released him midway through that season, and he returned to the Giants in free agency.
By 2018, Sandoval reinvented himself as a capable bench bat and part-time corner infielder. He played with San Francisco until 2020, then hooked on with the Braves late in that season and made their playoff roster. He re-signed with Atlanta on a minor league pact last winter and broke camp with the club. While he got off to a nice start as a designated pinch-hitter, Sandoval saw his production turn downward by May. He was traded to the Indians at last year’s deadline, with his contract included in the deal that sent Eddie Rosario to Atlanta to offset some of Rosario’s salary. Cleveland released Sandoval immediately and he sat out the remainder of the season, although he did collect a World Series ring when the Braves went on to win the championship.
Sandoval returned to the diamond this winter. After putting up impressive numbers in the Venezuelan Winter League, he’ll head to Mexico for the upcoming season. It remains to be seen whether the 35-year-old will make a return to affiliated ball in the United States at some point down the road.
Red Sox, Roberto Ramos Agree To Minor League Deal
The Red Sox have signed first baseman Roberto Ramos to a minor league contract with an invitation to big league Spring Training, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive (Twitter link). It’s a stateside return for the 27-year-old, who has spent the past two seasons in South Korea.
Ramos has yet to appear in a big league game. A 16th-round pick of the Rockies in 2014, he worked his way up the minor league ranks, reaching Triple-A by 2019. Ramos spent that season with Colorado’s top affiliate in Albuquerque, popping 30 home runs in 505 plate appearances. After that season, the left-handed hitter made the jump to the Korea Baseball Organization, signing on with the LG Twins.
Signing Ramos paid immediate dividends for the Seoul-based team. He blasted 38 homers across 494 plate appearances during his debut campaign. Ramos’ overall .278/.362/.592 line checked in 41 percentage points above the KBO league average, by measure of wRC+. Ramos struck out in a hefty 27.5% of his plate appearances that year, but he also drew walks at a robust 11.1% clip and showcased power that garnered plus or better grades during his time as a prospect.
Ramos re-signed with the Twins last offseason, but his follow-up campaign wasn’t as impressive. He hit a league average .243/.317/.422 with eight homers in 205 trips to the plate before suffering a back injury. Former MLB first baseman Justin Bour replaced him on the roster in late June, setting the stage for Ramos’ return to the United States. He’ll attempt to work his way to the bigs for the first time with the Red Sox, who are slated to open the year with the right-handed hitting Bobby Dalbec at first base and J.D. Martinez at designated hitter. Top prospect Triston Casas worked his way to Triple-A Worcester late last season and should get a look in the majors at some point in 2022.
MLB Suspends Drug Testing As Part Of Lockout
As the lockout continues, Major League Baseball has ceased drug testing for players who are part of the MLB Players Association, reports Ronald Blum of the Associated Press. It’s an expected development, as Evan Drellich and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote last November that the union did not believe the league could continue drug testing throughout a work stoppage.
The MLB – MLBPA Joint Drug Agreement covers players on 40-man rosters, major league free agents, and certain professional international free agents. The JDA contained an expiration provision for December 1, 2021 at 11:59 pm EST, overlapping with the expiration of the most recent collective bargaining agreement. However, as labor lawyer Eugene Freedman points out (on Twitter), the implementation of the lockout is the direct force behind the current testing stoppage. In the absence of a work stoppage, the previous CBA remains the governing document until a new agreement is reached. Had MLB not instituted a lockout, the offseason would have proceeded under the terms of the previous CBA and its ancillary agreements — the JDA among them — despite the expiration provisions contained therein.
The JDA encompasses testing both for drugs of abuse (including cocaine and opiates) and performance-enhancing substances. As the lockout continues, testing will not be in place for substances of either form. While the JDA was in effect, it was customary for drug testing to continue over the offseason. Blum relays statistics from program administrator Thomas Martin, noting that nearly 48,000 cumulative tests were conducted between 2017-21. Of those, more than 7,300 were administered during the offseason. (It is not clear what percentage of those were for drugs of abuse versus for performance-enhancing substances).
What effect, if any, the cessation of offseason drug testing will have remains to be seen. Given that MLB instituted the lockout in the early morning of December 2, it stands to reason testing has already been suspended for over two months. Whenever a new CBA is agreed upon, a drug testing provision — whether a new system or simply a reimplementation of the previous JDA — will no doubt be included. Potential modifications to the JDA are reportedly among the non-core economics issues the parties have discussed.
Whatever form the drug testing program eventually takes, it doesn’t seem a resolution is in the near future. There’s been little progress in negotiations thus far, and it remains to be seen when MLB will make its next move. A delayed start to Spring Training seems an inevitability, and there’ll need to be rapid progress over the next three weeks if the regular season is to start on March 31, as currently scheduled.
MLB Owners Set To Meet As MLBPA Awaits Counteroffer To Last Week’s Proposal
As the ongoing MLB lockout continues at a snail’s pace, the sport’s owners are convening at their quarterly meetings from Tuesday to Thursday. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets the expectation among players is that a counterproposal will be among the topics discussed, and that a new offer from the league should be forthcoming in the days ahead (perhaps not until the owners’ meetings conclude, however).
It’s been nearly a week since the MLBPA made its latest proposal to the league — an offer that was met with the promise of a counter but instead resulted in MLB’s request for a federal mediator to intervene. The union outright rejected the notion of mediation, instead repeating a desire to head back to the negotiating table with MLB.
That was the widely expected route, as the mediation request always smacked as more of a public relations move than an earnest request. To that end, veteran left-hander Andrew Miller, one of the eight players on the MLBPA executive subcommittee, spoke with ESPN’s Jesse Rogers about the decision to reject mediation.
“…[W]e don’t think it speeds up the process at all,” Miller told Rogers when asked about the union’s rationale. “History tells us in our sport it hasn’t been favorable to reaching a deal and our staff and outside council guide us on things like this. That is what they are for. Our position is that it is quite the opposite from negotiating and being ready to negotiate. We are there and our proposals and desire to meet at the table show that. The league is refusing to counter, the league is the side that has stalled and not been willing or ready to meet.”
Miller’s point about history is likely a nod to federal mediator Bill Usery, who was brought in for just such a purpose in the 1994 labor stoppage. Usery provided very little utility in negotiations as he was not sufficiently up to speed on the intricacies and complexities of the issues at hand, and his presence ultimately did not result in an agreement being reached.
Further, as Giants lefty Alex Wood points out (Twitter link), it would likely take weeks to bring a federal mediator into the fold, and the basis for a new deal would be largely rooted in the existing CBA, from which the players are trying to create some distance. Wood’s usage of quotation marks when describing an “‘impartial’ mediator” and his characterization of the current CBA as an “already broken system” underscore both the MLBPA’s distrust of any measures put forth by the league and of the union’s current dissatisfaction with the status quo.
That said, it’s still worth noting that United States labor secretary Marty Walsh has expressed a willingness to get involved in the lockout, as first reported by Politico’s Jonathan Lemire (Twitter link). Walsh later removed any doubt on the matter, issuing the following statement to Lemire:
“I have spoken to both the MLBPA and MLB about the ongoing contract negotiations and encourage both sides to continue engagement. Like any contract negotiation in any industry, I stand ready to help facilitate productive conversations that result in the best outcome for workers and employers.”
While the league may continue to hold out hope for outside mediation, it’s clear the players have no desire to traverse that path. A large number of Major Leaguers have taken to social media in recent days to express their frustration and their desire to negotiate a new deal. Twins catcher Mitch Garver, for instance, tweeted that key members of the union “want to meet every day until a deal is done,” contesting that “the other side does not.”
Former Tigers lefty Matthew Boyd, a union representative who’s currently a free agent, struck a similar chord to Miller in telling Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press that the union feels resorting to mediation would only further prolong matters. The clearest path to resolving matters, Boyd added, is to continue meaningful negotiations with the league.
Banding together to voice a unified set of goals has been a clear tactic for the MLBPA over the past week. Miller and fellow executive subcommittee member Max Scherzer have been vocal, as have the likes of Wood, Garver, Whit Merrifield, Jameson Taillon and many others. The talking points remain largely the same, as hammered home by Miller and Scherzer. Various players have reiterated that the MLBPA wants to eliminate the incentives for teams to tank (i.e. access to better draft picks, larger draft and international bonus pools), bring about better compensation for young/inexperienced players, put an end to service-time manipulation and, to use Scherzer’s exact terminology, create “a system where threshold and penalties don’t function as caps” (in reference to the current luxury/competitive balance tax).
It should be noted that not every player has spoken so strongly. Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright clearly shares the frustration of his union-mates, but he also at least rhetorically suggested that if the league were to propose “the exact same deal that we have right now, we would probably go play baseball” (link via Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat). Those comments were made off the cuff at a charity fundraiser, but they’re still a notable departure from other recent, public statements from the union.
That said, Wainwright agreed with his peers that a “good and fair deal” doesn’t appear likely as things presently stand. “That’s not even close to happening, honestly,” he added. “It’s pretty one-sided. And [MLB] are not really willing to talk right now. That makes it tough.” Wainwright further told Jones that MLB’s most recent offer “is far from a place we could even start negotiations.”
Whether a third party is ultimately brought on board or not, the ball is in MLB’s court as the union continues to wait for a counter to last Tuesday’s latest offer. It remains to be seen exactly when the league will make its next move.
Rangers Hire Nick Hundley As Special Assistant
The Rangers announced Monday that they’ve hired former big league catcher Nick Hundley as a special assistant to general manager Chris Young. The 12-year MLB vet had been working in league offices as a senior director of baseball operations.
While Hundley’s title with the league was a bit nebulous, MLB’s press release at the time of his hiring in 2020 indicated that he would serve “as an MLB liaison to Major League Clubs, players and umpires” in addition to aiding “in the administration of on-field discipline and will provide insights regarding on-field rules, initiatives, technology, instant replay and other topics.” Hundley’s role with the league also included working to promote youth baseball initiatives in somewhat of an ambassadorial capacity.
Hundley, 38, is no stranger to Young. The two were not only teammates but batterymates with the Padres from 2008-10, worked together in the league offices in 2020, and surely still enjoy a strong relationship to this day. Hundley spent the first six and a half seasons of his career in San Diego and also appeared with the Orioles, Giants, Rockies and A’s throughout his dozen years in the Majors.
Hundley received few starting opportunities but was typically used more heavily than a standard backup catcher. He appeared in 974 Major League games and racked up 3373 plate appearances over his 12-year career, batting .247/.299/.405 with 93 home runs, 169 doubles, 20 triples, 319 runs scored and 376 runs knocked in from 2008-19.
The Rangers’ press release did not specify which areas of baseball operations will be Hundley’s primary focus, but he represents the latest in a growing number of former players the organization has hired as special assistants. Michael Young, Colby Lewis, Brandon McCarthy, Darren Oliver and Ivan Rodriguez are also listed as special assistants in the Rangers’ baseball ops department.
Matthew Boyd Targeting Early June Return From Flexor Surgery
Free-agent lefty Matthew Boyd, who underwent flexor tendon surgery late last September, tells Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press that he’s progressing nicely through his rehab program and is aiming for an early June return to a big league mound. Boyd recently began throwing from 75 feet, and he expects to begin throwing full bullpen sessions in the final weeks of March.
The 2021 season was shaping up to be a strong one for the 31-year-old Boyd, who started 15 games for Detroit and worked to a 3.89 ERA through 78 2/3 innings. Boyd switched his pitch selection up slightly, leaning on his changeup at a career-high rate while dropping his fastball usage to its lowest levels since 2018. The results were generally favorable, even as his strikeout rate dipped to 19.9% — its lowest mark since 2017. Despite the limited number of innings thrown, Boyd’s 285 changeups last year were the second-most he’s ever thrown in a big league season; opponents struggle, hitting just .247/.275/.351 with one homer in 80 plate appearances that ended with a Boyd changeup.
Boyd has, at various points in his career, shown flashes of brilliance and looked to be on the cusp of a breakout. He carried a 3.44 ERA through 13 starts last year before exiting his June 14 start after 2 1/3 innings and heading to the injured list. He returned for a brief spell in late August/early September but lasted just eight innings combined between two starts, yielding seven runs in that time. He underwent surgery later that month, and the Tigers non-tendered him rather than him one final arbitration raise (which MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had pegged at $7.3MM).
In 2019, Boyd had a 3.08 ERA and 2.98 FIP with elite strikeout and walk rates through mid-June, prompting him to be regarded as one of the most sought-after trade candidates on the market that season. He was sitting on a 3.94 ERA, a 3.26 SIERA, a 32.5% strikeout rate and 5.3% walk rate by the time the trade deadline rolled around, but he ultimately remained in Detroit.
Throughout his career, Boyd has at times demonstrated tantalizing skills, but he’s never pieced them all together in the same season. He ranked ninth in the Majors in strikeout rate and eighth in K-BB% back in 2019, for instance, but also served up home runs at a rate of 1.89 per nine frames. This past season, he held the long ball in check (1.03 HR/9) with excellent command but saw his strikeout rate dip. Given Boyd’s 4.96 ERA in 784 1/3 innings, many are perplexed by the repeated level of intrigue surrounding the southpaw, but there’s a general belief that his raw abilities point to another gear he simply has not yet reached for a sustained period.
Boyd, like other Major League free agents, isn’t able to sign right now with the lockout ongoing. Whenever the transaction freeze lifts, however, he’ll represent an appealing gamble — likely on a short-term deal — for a team that’s OK with waiting until the summer to see how his rehab has panned out. Petzold writes that Boyd and agent Scott Boras received interest from teams on both coasts and, a bit more specifically, from one of of Boyd’s former AL Central rivals.
Speculatively speaking, the Twins have the most glaring need for pitching within the division, although the dire nature of that need is enough to wonder whether they’d allocate resources to a pitcher who, at best, could only help for two-thirds of the season. The Royals would seem another sensible fit from the AL Central; they have plenty of young, in-house options to help bridge the gap to Boyd’s return, and he could in turn allow the team to manage the workloads of those young arms once he’s healthy.
Wherever Boyd lands, he’ll be hoping that a change of scenery brings about a prolonged stretch of the sporadic excellence that has punctuated his inconsistent career. If he’s able to pitch well this summer on a one-year deal, he could re-enter the market next winter in a much better position as he heads into his age-32 season. Alternatively, if Boyd and Boras prefer a more risk-averse approach, it’s relatively common for teams to give rehabbing pitchers of this nature a somewhat backloaded two-year contract. That’d provide Boyd with more up-front earning power but could potentially cost him money if he comes out of the gate throwing well whenever he does return.
Cubs, John Hicks Agree To Minor League Deal
The Cubs have agreed to a minor league contract with veteran catcher/first baseman John Hicks, as first indicated on the team’s official transactions log. Hicks, a client of Full Circle Sports Management, figures to be in big league camp whenever the lockout ends. The Cubs haven’t formally announced the move or a non-roster invite, but a player with Hicks’ track record and experience generally warrants such an offer.
Hicks, 32, has spent parts of six seasons in the Majors, mostly coming with the Tigers. He’s also had brief appearances with the Mariners, for whom he made his MLB debut in 2015, and with the Rangers, for whom he played in 10 games this past season.
While Hicks doesn’t have a sterling offensive track record in the big leagues, he’s been more productive than the average backup catcher. He slugged four homers and a double in just 31 plate appearances with the Rangers this past season and, for the better part of the 2017-18, was a semi-regular in Detroit while hitting a combined .263/.317/.417 with 15 round-trippers and 24 doubles in 502 plate appearances.
Those numbers don’t include a dismal 2019 season, however, wherein Hicks logged a career-high 333 plate appearances but posted a career-worst .210/.240/.379 slash with a sky-high 32.7% strikeout rate. On the whole, he’s a lifetime .236/.279/.401 hitter in 902 plate appearances at the MLB level, and he’ll also carry a .275/.314/.438 career batting line in parts of five Triple-A seasons into his fourth organization.
Defensively, Hicks has split his time in nearly even fashion between catcher (928 innings) and first base (924 innings) in the Majors. He’s thwarted a hefty 32% of stolen-base attempts against him in the big leagues, but Hicks also has generally poor framing numbers behind the dish and negative overall marks in Defensive Runs Saved (-5 at both catcher and first base).
As things currently stand, Hicks is a ways down the depth chart in Chicago. Two-time All-Star Willson Contreras is slated to reprise his role as the team’s starter, and Chicago also brought Yan Gomes into the mix on a two-year, $13MM deal earlier this winter. The size of the commitment to Gomes and the fact that Contreras is slated to become a free agent at season’s end only further fueled longstanding trade speculation regarding Contreras. If a deal were to ultimately come together, Hicks and P.J. Higgins would vie for a backup job behind Gomes, but for now, Hicks is likely ticketed for Triple-A Iowa.
Twins Sign Daniel Robertson To Minor League Contract
The Twins signed infielder Daniel Robertson to a minor league deal, The Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Phil Miller reports. Robertson was outrighted off the Brewers’ 40-man roster this past summer and elected free agency after the season, thus making him eligible to sign during the lockout as a minor league free agent.
A veteran of five MLB seasons with the Rays, Giants, and Brewers, Robertson has yet to truly follow up on his impressive numbers in the second of those seasons, a .797 OPS campaign with Tampa Bay in 2018. Robertson hit .262/.382/.415 over 340 PA in what seemed like a breakout year, but after a thumb injury brought an early end to his 2018 season, he has since hit only .209/.317/.292 in 351 PA over the 2019-21 seasons.
Robertson (who turns 28 in March) will now look for a fresh start in Minnesota. Tim Beckham also recently signed a minors deal with the Twins, so the club will have two experienced options in Beckham and Robertson battling alongside Nick Gordon and Jose Miranda for a utility infield role. Gordon is the only left-handed hitter of that quartet, so the others could be competing to be the right-handed side of the bench equation.
The versatile Robertson has plenty of experience as a shortstop, third baseman, and second baseman, plus he has expanded his utility range by also playing a handful of games as a corner outfielder and first baseman. Since the Twins have left-handed bats lined up at second base (Luis Arraez) and in the outfield (Max Kepler, Trevor Larnach, Alex Kirilloff), there is perhaps opportunity for Robertson to work his way into a platoon should any of this group struggle against left-handed pitching. Of note, Robertson and Beckham were both teammates on the 2017 Rays, when Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was a member of Tampa Bay’s coaching staff.
Quick Hits: Rays Ballpark, Rockies, Bleday
A new ballpark in the Ybor City area of Tampa would cost roughly $892MM, as per a study commissioned by the Tampa Sports Authority. According to Charlie Frago and C.T. Bowen of The Tampa Bay Times, the price tag would cover a ballpark with a 27K capacity, intended to be the Rays‘ new home stadium for an entire season, rather than a split-season situation like the Rays’ now-scuttled proposal to play games in both Tampa and Montreal.
The cost of the Ybor City ballpark includes a roof, which is essential for playing games in Florida during the summer. (The Rays wouldn’t be using the stadium for Spring Training games, as the team may be planning a new spring camp site in nearby Pasco County.) Public revenue for the ballpark could be raised by some increased property taxes on local developers within the “ballpark district,” though it remains to be seen how much of the total cost would be covered by the city and how much would be covered by the Rays themselves. The club previously indicated they would be willing to spend around $350MM towards construction of a new ballpark, though that was based on the concept of a stadium costing around $700MM and in use for only the non-Montreal portion of the schedule. The Rays didn’t issue a public comment on the TSA’s study.
More from around the baseball world…
- The Rockies made a point of overhauling their analytics department this winter, bringing several new employees into the research & development department from other teams and other non-baseball fields. While the Rockies are often criticized for being an insular organization, these hirings indicate some acknowledgement that “adjustments were needed and fresh people needed to be brought in,” GM Bill Schmidt told The Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders. “There were, and are, a lot of good people here. But…we needed some new ideas. We needed everybody pulling in the same direction.”
- J.J. Bleday has yet to really break out in the Marlins‘ farm system, with only a .224/.320/.374 slash line to show for 619 plate appearances in pro ball. Of course, the fourth overall pick of the 2019 draft had his development set back by the canceled 2020 minor league season, and Bleday told The Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson that he is heading into 2022 around 20 pounds heavier than he was at the start of last year’s Spring Training. “I feel more grounded when I’m a little bit bigger, have more body control. And then the main thing, just recovery. My sleep’s been better, and overall my body feels a lot more recovered,” Bleday said. While his tough 2021 campaign resulted in several pundits dropping Bleday from their top-100 prospect rankings, there is already hope for a rebound. Bleday made some swing changes and hit better over the last five weeks of the last minor league season, and he then posted a whopping 1.035 OPS over 115 PA in the Arizona Fall League. With this performance in mind, McPherson feels Bleday will probably start 2022 with the Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate.
Trade Candidate: Manuel Margot
Kevin Kiermaier has been a fixture in Rays-related trade rumors for some years now, and this trend continued when Tampa reportedly discussed Kiermaier with the Phillies and other teams just prior to the start of the lockout. Kiermaier’s contract (a six-year, $53.5MM extension signed in March 2017) is relatively outsized by the Rays’ modest payroll standards, and as Kiermaier is now entering the final year of that deal, there stands a greater chance that a team in need of center field help will finally step in to make Kiermaier off the Rays’ books.
Any number of teams stand out as possible fits in a Kiermaier trade based on a variety of factors, including how much of the $14.5MM still owed to Kiermaier can best be absorbed into another team’s payroll. It’s possible Tampa Bay might be open to a deal that sees the Rays accept a minimal prospect return in exchange for a team simply taking all of Kiermaier’s remaining salary, or perhaps the Rays might add a prospect along with Kiermaier to facilitate this semi-salary dump.
But, there’s another wrinkle that could be involved in any Kiermaier negotiations. If such talks involve how much of Kiermaier’s salary will be covered by either side, it seems likely that at least one team has asked the Rays “hey, what about your other less-expensive center fielder entering his last year of team control?”
That would be Manuel Margot, scheduled for free agency following the 2022 season and projected to earn $5MM in his final year of arbitration eligibility. Seen as a natural center field successor to Kiermaier in the event of a trade, Margot would likely be a replacement for 2022 alone, given how the Rays generally only look to extend players in the early stages of their careers. If Margot isn’t a long-term answer, therefore, he himself stands out as a trade chip for a Rays front office that has traditionally been open to dealing almost anyone on their roster.
Margot is no stranger to switching teams, having already been part of two prominent trades in his career. The outfielder was part of the four-player package dealt from the Red Sox to the Padres for Craig Kimbrel in November 2015, and then Padres then shipped him to Tampa almost exactly two years ago to the day. That deal saw the Padres acquire Emilio Pagan for Margot and prospect Logan Driscoll, and it’s a trade that now looks like a solid win for the Rays given how Pagan has struggled over his two years in San Diego.
Margot, meanwhile, has contributed 2.0 fWAR over his 172 games in a Rays uniform, largely due to his excellent defense. As per Statcast’s Outs Above Average metric, in fact, Margot was the best overall defensive outfielder in baseball last year, with a league-best +16 OAA. The UZR/150 (+3.7) and Defensive Runs Saved (+13) metrics largely back up that assessment, as Margot played 656 2/3 innings in right field, 182 innings in center, and 122 2/3 innings in left in 2021.
Offensively, Margot is much more of a mixed bag. His 95 wRC+ and 96 OPS+ over his two seasons in Tampa is only slightly below average, and a .258/.317/.375 slash line over 623 plate appearances is passable considering what Margot brings to the table with his glovework. Margot also doesn’t strike out often, and has excellent speed, even if that speed has only translated into moderate success on the basepaths (25 steals in 37 chances with the Rays).
In general, however, Margot isn’t a major threat at the dish. He hasn’t shown much power or an ability to consistently draw walks, and while Margot may make plenty of contact, the quality of that contact is well below-average. Margot’s hard-hit ball rates and barrel rates have both been subpar every season from 2017-21. As one might expect from a right-handed bat, Margot’s career splits against southpaws (.760 OPS) are better than his numbers against righty pitching (.663 OPS).
All in all, Margot may not be an ideal fit as an everyday outfielder, but he is an ideal fourth outfielder or platoon partner. His ability to play all over the outfield makes Margot a particularly valuable piece for a Rays team that values flexibility, as Margot is a natural complement to the left-handed hitting Kiermaier, Austin Meadows, and Brett Phillips (plus Margot has also spelled the righty-swinging Randy Arozarena on occasion).
While he might be a good roster fit for the Rays, however, is Margot a fit for $5MM? That projected figure would represent the fifth-highest 2022 salary on Tampa Bay’s books, behind Kiermaier, Corey Kluber ($8MM), Mike Zunino ($7MM) and Tyler Glasnow‘s $5.8MM arbitration projection. Since the Rays are always keeping a close eye on their budget, Margot’s $5MM figure may be deemed too pricey for what he brings in a backup outfield role.
Phillips, it should be noted, has hit .204/.301/.421 in 351 PA over the last two seasons. It isn’t exactly an offensive breakout, but it does represent a 101 wRC+/102 OPS+ that is at least a tick higher than Margot, and Phillips also brings comparable fielding and speed.
Top prospect Josh Lowe is also waiting in the wings, after playing his first two MLB games last season. Lowe is eyed as the longer-term answer in center field anyway, and seems likely to get a good chunk of playing time in 2022 regardless of who may or may not still be around in the Rays’ outfield.
There would be risk in counting on Lowe and Phillips to handle center field in the event of another Kiermaier absence, as Kiermaier’s well-documented injury history means that Tampa Bay simply can’t count on him for a full season. Arozarena or even switch-hitter Vidal Brujan could be deployed in center field in a pinch, to add a right-handed element to a center field mix that would be lefty-heavy if Margot wasn’t around. We also can’t rule out the possibility that the Rays could trade Margot and then acquire another outfielder in a future move, finding another Margot-esque player on the market available at a lower cost.
As mentioned earlier, you really can’t rule much out when it comes to potential Rays trades. It stands to reason that Kiermaier would be the preferred trade chip, yet if the questions about his health and salary prove to be too much of an obstacle, Tampa Bay might pivot to the next name down on the center field depth chart. Even if Margot lacks Kiermaier’s upside as an everyday player, his lower salary and comparable skillset would probably appeal to roughly the same number of outfield-needy teams. If anything, Margot’s lower salary might even bring more teams into the mix.