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Reds Release Noe Ramirez

By Anthony Franco | March 28, 2021 at 4:30pm CDT

4:30 PM: The Angels have an agreement in place to sign Ramirez, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). It is not expected to be a Major League deal, adds the Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya (via Twitter).

1:14 PM: Ramirez and the Angels are in talks, and a source tells FanSided’s Robert Murray that a reunion seems “highly likely” between the two sides.

MARCH 27: The Reds have released reliever Noé Ramirez. C. Trent Rosecrans of the Athletic (Twitter link) reported the move shortly before the team’s official announcement. The move drops Cincinnati’s 40-man roster count to 39.

Ramirez came over from the Angels in this offseason’s Raisel Iglesias trade. It was apparent at the time that move was motivated by a desire to shed Iglesias’ $9.125MM salary; releasing Ramirez only reinforces that. Cincinnati did also acquire infield prospect Leo Rivas as a player to be named later in the deal.

It was a difficult spring for Ramirez, who allowed eleven runs (six earned) in six innings with four strikeouts and walks apiece. Before that rough showing in exhibition play, Ramirez looked to have settled in as a competent if unexciting middle reliever. He tossed a 3.00 ERA/5.21 SIERA with poor strikeout and walk rates (16.5% and 10.6%, respectively) over 21 innings for Los Angeles last year.

Ramirez and the Reds agreed to a $1.175MM salary to avoid arbitration over the winter. Unlike most MLB deals, arbitration contracts usually aren’t fully guaranteed. Players released in the second half Spring Training typically receive 45 days termination pay at their prorated salary, around $282K in Ramirez’s case. Assuming he clears release waivers, Ramirez will be free to sign with any other team.

Jazz Chisholm To Open Season As Marlins’ Second Baseman

By TC Zencka | March 28, 2021 at 2:42pm CDT

Marlins prospect Jazz Chisholm has won the opening day second base job. General Manager Kim Ng made the announcement on the radio, noting that Isan Diaz, Chisholm’s main competition for the role, will begin the year in Triple-A, per Jordan McPherson and Craig Mish of the Miami Herald (Twitter links).

Chisholm, of course, was acquired via trade from the Diamondbacks for Zac Gallen at the 2019 trade deadline. Gallen’s spring injury aside, he has generally flourished in Arizona. Chisholm and the Marlins have work to do to make this deal look like a strong one for Miami. After finishing 2019 at Double-A with a .220/.321/.441 line, Chisholm made his Major League debut in 2020 under sub-optimal circumstances. In 62 plate appearances over 21 games, Chisholm hit just .161/.242/.321. He has game-changing speed, but the bat will need to follow to make good on his top prospect status. He is the Marlins’ 4th-ranked prospect, per Baseball America.

Diaz, meanwhile, was a slight favorite to start the year at second, but he struggled this spring going just 4-for-22 with seven walks to thirteen strikeouts. He has 223 plate appearances in the Majors between 2019 and 2020, owning a triple slash of .174/.251/.294. He has struck out in close to 30 percent of his plate appearances while walking at an average 8.5 percent clip. Still just 24-years-old, Diaz will head to Triple-A to await his next opportunity.

AL Notes: Santander, Astros, Indians, Taillon, Yankees

By Mark Polishuk | March 28, 2021 at 1:16pm CDT

Anthony Santander isn’t in the Orioles lineup today, and it seems as if the outfielder will miss his fifth consecutive spring game. Manager Brandon Hyde told MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and other reporters that Santander has been bothered by a sore oblique, though Santander has still been working out and could potentially get back on the field as early as Monday.

Such a quick return would probably mean Santander is ready to roll for Opening Day, but the O’s are likely to be cautious considering that an oblique strain brought Santander’s 2020 season to an early end in September. The injury cut short a breakout year for the 26-year-old, as Santander hit .261/.315/.575 with 11 homers in 165 plate appearances.

Cubs Select Three Contracts, Designate Ildemaro Vargas

By Mark Polishuk | March 28, 2021 at 12:10pm CDT

The Cubs announced that they have selected the contracts of left-hander Rex Brothers and infielders Eric Sogard and Matt Duffy. Infielder Ildemaro Vargas has been designated for assignment to open up roster space.

Brothers is back with the Cubs after signing a new minor league deal with the team in February, while Sogard and Duffy joined the organization on minors contracts of their own this past winter. It was expected that Sogard would make the team after yesterday’s news that Nico Hoerner had been optioned to Triple-A, clearing the way for a Sogard/David Bote second base platoon. Duffy is back in the majors for the first time since the 2019 season, as he didn’t reach the Show with either the Rangers or Yankees after signing minor league deals with the two squads last year.

The roster shuffling leaves Vargas as the odd man out. Vargas came to Chicago on a waiver claim from the Twins last September, capping off a nomadic season that saw the 29-year-old appear in games with the Cubs, Twins, and Diamondbacks. The big majority of Vargas’ MLB playing time came in Arizona, where he hit .257/.287/.387 over 265 plate appearances with the D’Backs from 2017-20, with 211 of those PA coming in 2019 when Vargas saw a lot of work at second base.

Vargas has played a handful of games as a first baseman, shortstop, and corner outfielder to go along with his much more extensive time as a second baseman and third baseman. This multi-positional usage makes him an asset for the Cubs at Triple-A should he clear waivers, or possibly make him attractive to another team who wants to make a claim.

Cubs Re-Sign Cameron Maybin

By Mark Polishuk | March 28, 2021 at 12:04pm CDT

MARCH 28: Maybin has signed a new minor league deal with the Cubs and will report to their alternate training site.

MARCH 27: The Cubs have released outfielder Cameron Maybin, the team announced. Three other players (Shelby Miller, Pedro Strop, Rafael Ortega) on minor league deals were assigned to the team’s minor league camp, as was right-hander Trevor Megill.

Maybin was first acquired by Chicago in a swap with the Tigers at last season’s trade deadline, and the veteran outfielder re-signed with the Cubs on a minors deal in February. Maybin’s 14th Major League campaign saw him hit .247/.307/.387 over 101 total plate appearances with Detroit and Chicago, and he also spent two weeks on the injured list due to a quad strain.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Maybin signed a new deal with the Cubs and remained in the organization as depth, or if the release means that the two sides are truly parting ways if Maybin wants to find a clearer MLB opportunity elsewhere. Jake Marisnick will handle fourth outfielder duties in Chicago, and the Cubs also have a couple of utilitymen in Eric Sogard and Ildemaro Vargas who can play the corner outfield in a pinch. On the minor league front, the Cubs have Ortega, Michael Hermosillo, Ian Miller, and Nick Martini as outfield options with some big league experience.

Brewers Re-Sign Brad Boxberger, Jordan Zimmermann

By Steve Adams | March 28, 2021 at 11:52am CDT

TODAY: The Brewers have also re-signed Boxberger a new minors deal, manager Craig Counsell told reporters (including Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).

MARCH 27: The Brewers announced they’ve re-signed Zimmermann to another minor-league contract.

MARCH 26: The Brewers have released veteran right-handers Brad Boxberger and Jordan Zimmermann, president of baseball operations David Stearns announced to reporters Friday (Twitter link via Adam McCalvy of MLB.com).

Though both are now free agents, Stearns noted that he hopes to be able to re-sign both to new minor league deals. Both players were Article XX(B) free agents (i.e. six-plus years of MLB service and in camp on a non-roster deal after finishing the prior season on a big league roster), and as such could only be retained in the minor leagues beyond Saturday if they were paid a $100K retention bonus. That arrangement, by default, allows a player to opt out of the deal on June 1 if he’s not added to the MLB roster by then.

The Brewers could work on a new deal with either player that comes with an earlier opt-out opportunity while avoiding the $100K retention bonus as a trade-off. In the meantime, they’ll both be able to seek big league opportunities — or more promising minor league deals — elsewhere.

Neither veteran pitched particularly well with the Indians during Cactus League play. Boxberger whiffed 11 hitters in eight innings but also served up eight runs on 10 hits — including three home runs. He was sharp in 18 innings with the Marlins in 2020, however, logging an even 3.00 ERA with an 18-to-8 K/BB ratio.

Zimmermann, meanwhile, yielded four runs in six frames while punching out three hitters. He recently wrapped up a five-year deal with the Tigers that was marred by injuries and a precipitous downturn in performance. Zimmermann, a Wisconsin native, may have some extra incentive to work out a new deal with his hometown Brewers.

Phillies Option Scott Kingery, JoJo Romero; Release Christian Bethancourt

By Mark Polishuk | March 28, 2021 at 11:14am CDT

The Phillies announced a set of roster moves, including the news that utilityman Scott Kingery, left-hander JoJo Romeo, and catcher Rafael Marchan have been optioned to Triple-A. Outfielder Travis Jankowski and catcher Rodolfo Duran were reassigned to the team’s minor league camp, and catcher Christian Bethancourt (in camp on a minors contract) has been released.

Though Kingery has had a tough time at the plate in Spring Training, it still counts as something of a surprise to see the 26-year-old not break camp with the team. While Kingery could be recalled in relatively short order, today’s move underlines how the former top prospect has struggled since the start of the 2020 season, a year that saw him suffer through a positive COVID-19 diagnosis during the summer and then hit just .159/.228/.283 in 124 plate appearances once he got onto the field.

The Phillies thought so highly of Kingery’s potential in 2018 that he was signed to a contract extension before even debuting in the majors. Though he had a rough 2018 rookie season, Kingery looked to be turning the corner with a respectable .258/.315/.474 slash line over 500 plate appearances in 2019 before his season-long setback last year. Heading into the current season, Kingery was seen as a candidate to win the Phillies’ center field job. While Kingery would still have been a backup option at multiple other positions, it seemed as though he would primarily be focused on outfield work — perhaps a necessary move, given how Kingery has spoken in the past about the extra difficulties associated with a super-utility role.

With Kingery now in the minors, it could be a sign that the Phillies are confident that Brad Miller will be ready to go on Opening Day and assume super-utility duties. Miller has been out since March 10 due to an oblique injury, but he is in Philadelphia’s lineup today for their Spring Training game with the Yankees.

Romero’s demotion also counts as a bit of a surprise, both because he’d pitched well in camp and because Jose Alvarado now looks to be the only left-hander in the Philly bullpen after Tony Watson opted out of his minor league contract earlier this week. The hard-throwing Romero (a fourth-round pick for the Phillies in the 2016 draft) worked exclusively as a reliever when making his MLB debut in 2020, but since he has otherwise operated as a starting pitcher in the minors, he could be kept stretched out as potential rotation depth.

Bethancourt signed minor league contracts with the Phillies in each of the last two offseasons, but has yet to appear in a big league game with the team. Bethancourt hit .222/.252/.316 over 489 PA with the Braves and Padres from 2013-17 and hasn’t since returned to the Show, spending 2018 with the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate and playing in South Korea in 2019.

Latest On Cubs’ Extension Talks

By Mark Polishuk | March 28, 2021 at 11:03am CDT

With Opening Day looming on Thursday, it doesn’t appear that the Cubs will have any contract extensions finalized with Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo, or Kris Bryant prior to their first game, according to both NBC Sports Chicago’s David Kaplan and ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers. This doesn’t necessarily mean at least one deal won’t eventually be worked out, since the Cubs “do not view Opening Day as a hard deadline,” Kaplan writes.

Of the trio, Bryant seems the least likely to sign an extension, as there hasn’t been much indication that the two sides have gotten far in negotiations. (As of March 10, Bryant said there hadn’t been any talks.) The outlook could be a bit more positive for both Baez and Rizzo, since Baez has already expressed that he and his representatives were willing to keep negotiating into the season.

The large majority of players prefer to restrict any contract talks to the offseason, so as to not have any lingering concerns or distractions impeding their focus once the games begin. Rizzo has himself expressed this same preference, though Kaplan points out that Rizzo’s previous extension with the team (a seven-year, $41MM contract in 2013) wasn’t made official until May 2013. Rizzo expressed some optimism a few weeks ago that the two sides could reach an agreement, and according to Kaplan, “club sources are confident that a deal will eventually get done.”

That seven-year, $41MM commitment has now grown into a nine-year pact, as the Cubs exercised their club options on Rizzo for both the 2020 and 2021 seasons, paying the first baseman $16.5MM each year. That initial investment has paid off very handsomely for the team, as Rizzo hit .284/.388/.513 with 179 homers from 2014-19 and became one of the key figures of this championship-winning era of Cubs baseball.

Rizzo turns 32 in August and is coming off a down year (.222/.342/.414 in 243 PA) by his normal standards, though given the unusual nature of the 2020 season, it’s hard to say whether Rizzo is actually experiencing any sort of decline. With this in mind, it will be interesting to see what type of contract Rizzo lands if he and the Cubs do agree to an extension — or, in lieu of an extension, what type of free agent deal Rizzo might receive on the open market if he delivers vintage numbers in 2021.

Royals Select Wade Davis’ Contract

By Mark Polishuk | March 28, 2021 at 10:06am CDT

The Royals announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Wade Davis. As per the terms of his minor league deal signed back in January, Davis will earn $1.25MM in guaranteed salary and can earn up to $1.125MM more in incentives. No corresponding move was required, as K.C. had open space on its 40-man roster.

With both Greg Holland and now Davis back in the mix, the Royals have reassembled two-thirds of the Law Firm bullpen that played such a huge role in the team’s back-to-back AL pennants in 2014-15. (Kelvin Herrera, the other “partner” in the firm, retired in February.) Holland enjoyed a fine bounce-back season in 2020 after signing a minors deal with Kansas City last winter and returned again on a one-year, MLB contract this offseason.

The Royals hope a similar turn-around is in the cards for Davis, who tossed six scoreless innings in Spring Training, albeit with three walks to two strikeouts. Davis is looking to rebound from a rough three-season tenure with the Rockies that saw the righty post decent numbers in 2018 before struggling badly over the last two years. 2020 was the low point, as Davis spent time on the injured list with a shoulder strain and was crushed to the tune of a 20.77 ERA over only 4 1/3 innings pitched.

Though Holland is expected to once again factor into Kansas City’s late-game picture, Davis is being eyed for more of a standard middle relief role, and will have to pitch well to earn more higher-leverage innings. Davis, Holland, and Jesse Hahn are the experienced hurlers within an overall pretty young K.C. bullpen. Ervin Santana is another veteran in camp on a minor league contract, and he also still has a shot at breaking camp with the team.

Nationals Select Luis Avilan’s Contract, Designate Dakota Bacus

By Mark Polishuk | March 28, 2021 at 10:00am CDT

Left-hander Luis Avilan has made the Nationals’ roster, manager Davey Martinez told reporters (including The Athletic’s Maria Torres and Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com). To create 40-man space for Avilan, the Nats have designated righty Dakota Bacus for assignment. Right-hander Rogelio Armenteros and left-hander Seth Romero were also optioned to Triple-A as Washington continues to pare down its roster.

A veteran of nine big league seasons, Avilan is now in position to officially suit up for his seventh different team. The southpaw was a reliable bullpen arm for the Braves and Dodgers from 2012-17, though he has run into increasing problems as his soft contact percentages, and home run rates have wrong directions over the last three seasons. After posting a 6.3% homer rate in his first seven seasons, Avilan’s number jumped to 18.5% over 32 innings with the Mets in 2019 and then 22.2% in his brief 8 1/3 inning-stint with the Yankees last season.

Avilan was hampered by some shoulder problems in 2020, so it’s certainly possible that he’ll regain his old effectiveness with better health in the Washington bullpen. Avilan and closer Brad Hand are the only lefty relievers projected to make the Nationals’ Opening Day roster, as fellow 40-man roster members Romero and Sam Clay look to begin the season at Triple-A. (T.J. McFarland was also in camp on a minor league deal but was released yesterday.)

Bacus made his big league debut in 2020, posting a 7.94 ERA over 11 1/3 relief innings for the Nationals before his rookie season was cut short by a flexor strain. Originally acquired from the A’s in the Kurt Suzuki trade of August 2013, Bacus is a groundball specialist who posted a 3.53 ERA and 19.56% strikeout rate over 609 2/3 career minor league innings, converting into a full-time relief role during the 2016 season.

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