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Mets Hire Jared Porter As General Manager

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DECEMBER 13: The Mets have officially announced Porter’s hiring as general manager. He signed a four-year contract.

DECEMBER 12: The Mets have focused their search for a new general manager on Arizona Diamondbacks Assistant GM Jared Porter, per MLB Insider Jon Heyman (via Twitter). Porter has been talked about in conjunction with a number of front office openings, including the recent Angels’ opening, for which he was a finalist. Joel Sherman of the New York Post confirms that the Mets are now working to finalize a four-year agreement with Porter (Twitter links). The two sides are merely working out some final details, adds Heyman.

Porter’s background is in professional scouting, though he isn’t limited to any one area in his current role with the Diamondbacks. Prior to joining the Diamondbacks, he was the Director of Professional Scouting for the Cubs for two seasons, a title he held with the Red Sox from 2012 to 2015. Currently, he’s a Senior VP & Assistant GM to Mike Hazen in Arizona, a position he’s held for since just after winning the World Series with the Cubs. Hazen hired Porter in November of 2016.

Porter has contributed to four World Series winners, including a pair of “cursebreakers” in Boston and Chicago. Sherman offers this assessment of Porter: “Reputation as personable, hardworking, scout at heart who knows analytics, not afraid to make decisions. Theo Epstein disciple.” Porter will work closely now with Sandy Alderson to head up the Mets baseball operations department.

Back in 2017, Porter was kind enough to grant an interview to MLBTR, which can be found in two parts: here and here.

Corey Kluber Expected To Throw For Interested Teams

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1:02 pm: Kluber’s first workout is expected to take place in January, hears Rob Bradford of WEEI.

9:14 am: Free agent right-hander Corey Kluber is preparing to throw bullpen sessions for interested teams later this month, reports Buster Olney of ESPN. The 34-year-old began a throwing program in early November on the heels of a second consecutive season marred by injury.

Kluber was limited to just one inning with the Rangers in 2020 after suffering a Grade 2 teres major strain in his throwing shoulder during his first outing. That came after he logged just 35.2 innings in 2019 due to a comebacker that fractured his forearm, ending his season in May. Thanks to Kluber’s recent run of poor health, Texas made the decision to decline his $18MM club option in favor of a $1MM buyout.

So far this offseason, Kluber has drawn some attention from the Red Sox and Twins. It’s fair to presume other clubs will be interested in checking in on his status. Kluber was dominant in 2018, his last full season of work. Given his age, it’d be hard to bank on him again posting Cy Young-caliber production coming off two largely lost years. Nevertheless, plenty of teams could have interest in taking a shot on Kluber as an upside play if he demonstrates much or all of his prior form in the upcoming showcases.

Mets To Hire Dave Jauss As Bench Coach

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The Mets are set to hire Dave Jauss as bench coach, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link). He’ll take over for Hensley Meulens, who was let go after just one season in the position.

Jauss, 63, has worked for MLB teams in various capacities since the late 1980’s. He has previously worked as a bench coach for four different franchises, the Mets among them. Jauss was Grady Little’s right-hand man with the Dodgers from 2006-07, then held the same position with the Orioles over the next two seasons. He became the Mets’ bench coach in 2010, working under then-manager Jerry Manuel. Jauss moved into the Mets’ front office in 2011 before returning to the field as a member of the Pirates’ coaching staff from 2012-19. That included another stint as bench coach, as Jauss worked in that role with Clint Hurdle for one season. He spent this past year as a scout in the Yankees’ organization after leaving the Pirates when Hurdle was let go, notes Tim Healey of Newsday.

Jauss’ previous stint in Queens saw him overlap with president of baseball operations Sandy Alderson and manager Luis Rojas. He’ll clearly bring plenty of experience back to the dugout as top lieutenant for the Mets’ second-year skipper.

NPB’s Hanshin Tigers To Re-Sign Robert Suarez

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The Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball are re-signing right-hander Robert Suárez, reports Jon Morosi of MLB.com (Twitter link). Suárez will return to the Nishinomiya-based club in 2021 and has a player option for 2022. Altogether, the deal comes with a guarantee in the $6.75MM range, per Morosi.

A 29-year-old reliever, Suárez has spent the past four seasons at Japan’s highest level. He has a cumulative 3.53 ERA across 142.2 relief innings for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and the Tigers. This past season, his first as a Tiger, Suárez logged a 2.24 mark over 52.1 innings, with a solid combination of 8.6 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9.

Suárez has never played affiliated ball in the United States, but he’d drawn some attention from MLB teams this winter on the heels of that strong season, Morosi notes. Instead, he’ll remain with the Tigers, where he figures to again serve as the primary closer for the Central League team.

Vince Velasquez Drawing Trade Interest

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Before tendering right-hander Vince Velasquez a contract for the 2021 season, the Phillies received inquires into his availability, according to the Athletic’s Matt Gelb.

There’s no denying that Velasquez has a great arm. Making that arm work for him on the pitching mound has been an up-and-down endeavor for the 28-year-old, however. The six-year veteran is set to make somewhere between $3.8MM and $4.8MM in his final season before free agency – a palatable amount for a rotation arm should the Phillies ultimately decide to move him, especially without the hindrance of a long-term financial commitment.

Whether or not Velazquez qualifies as a rotation arm is a question that the Phillies themselves have waffled on the past couple of seasons. Out of 42 total appearances the last two years, 30 have been starts – but that’s compared to 69 out of 70 from 2016 to 2018.

Inconsistency has, in fact, been the constant for Velazquez. He mixes wipe-out stuff (10.5 K/9 over the last two seasons) with a too-high walk rate (9.1 BB%) and year-to-year arsenal uncertainty. His 93-94 mph fastball more-or-less sets the tone, but deciding on a second-best offering has been somewhat of a rollercoaster.

His slider, for example, had largely been an effective, if judicious selection for him his first few years in the rotation, but as it gained traction volume-wise, hitters took it to the tune of a .407 wOBA in 2019. His changeup, meanwhile, had fallen almost out of his arsenal entirely in 2018 and 2019 before finding its way back into the mix last season, when he threw it 14.3% of the time and limited hitters to a 26.7 HardHit%. He throws a sinker, sparingly, but it’s been thumped – except in 2016 and 2020 when it registered a .298 wOBA and 243 wOBA, respectively.

All in all, Velasquez has been good for roughly 1.3 bWAR per 150 innings over his Phillies tenure – though 146 2/3 innings in 2018 mark a career high. Still, he owns a 4.33 FIP and 4.21 xFIP, as well as an exactly-league-average 100 FIP- for his career. Even that, however, doesn’t really tell the tale, as he’s alternated above-average seasons and below-average seasons by that mark since joining Philadelphia’s rotation: 94, 125, 90, 115, and 91 from 2016 to 2020.

That there’s interest in Velasquez is hardly surprising. But pinning his value to the wall is difficult. To summarize: on average, he’s an average ML arm that manifests as either 9-10% better or 15-25% worse than average.

As of right now, he figures to start the 2021 season right back in the Philly rotation behind Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, and Zach Eflin, right alongside rookie Spencer Howard. Rumor is there’s a new decision-maker in town, however, as well as a new pitching coach, so this is their puzzle to solve.

MLBTR Poll: Forecasting The Dave Dombrowski Era In Philadelphia

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After a bit of uncertainty, the Phillies hired the guy they wanted as the first-ever president of baseball operations in team history – and he just so happens to be the only GM ever to take three different teams to the World Series. Dave Dombrowski now aims to take a two-point lead on that score in Philadelphia. To his own admission, however, “no one thinks the Phillies are one player away.” So there’s work to do. What that means exactly makes for the nebulous, but substantive difference between Dombrowski and the what-might-have-been “other” guy.

The immediate assumption has been that Dombrowski’s appointment portends aggressive spending – either of dollars in free agency or of prospects via trades. Dombrowski has a reputation as a wheeler-and-dealer, and after three consecutive seasons of floating around .500, there’s some urgency to improve, directed largely by managing partner John Middleton. It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together.

And yet, Dombrowski himself took a more measured stance in his first press conference with reporters yesterday. So, too, did Middleton and team president Andy MacPhail. As I wrote yesterday, a focus on system building rather than immediate contention during his introduction speaks volumes about the level of self-awareness inside Philadelphia’s leadership group. While they’re not going to disappear immediately into the mud, don’t wait for J.T. Realmuto to come waltzing in the door behind Dombrowski either.

As for the new headmaster, he’s taking some time to get to know his new operation. It’s going to be a lot of sleepless nights in the coming weeks as he makes his first moves in office, such as deciding whether or not to hire a general manager. Though there’s a lot of work to do, Middleton, Dombrowski, and the Phillies seem a harmonious fit. You can add manager Joe Girardi to that group as well, whose old-school blood hasn’t kept him from recognizing important evolutions in the game – much like Dombrowski. No, they’re not the poster-children for the sabremetric, biomechanic, new-school evangelists, but they’re hepper to what’s wise in this game than it may seem.

It’s time for you to weigh in. Dombrowski is said to have signed a four-year deal, so let’s keep our prognostication to that time frame. Say that at the end of these four years, coronavirus is a thing of the past, the MLB Draft League has ballooned interest in the sport, expansion is an inevitability, and Dombrowski wants to return to Nashville to run the Music City Stars. How are we going to feel about the Dombrowski era in Philly? Just for fun, let’s frame out answers in the form of Phillies of the past. Feel free to add your own in the comments. (Poll links for app users.)

Quick Hits: Tigers, Turner, Rays, Archer, Dodgers, McCullough

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Tigers GM Al Avila wants to remain patient and disciplined this winter when it comes to augmenting their young core through free agency, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. Detroit will look to add a catcher, corner outfielder and first baseman, as well as a pitcher or two – but all in due time. Detroit hasn’t posted a winning record since 2016, and they haven’t reached the postseason since a four-year run ended in 2015. Those playoff teams, of course, were led by formidable pitching staffs that included Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, Anibal Sanchez, and others, as well as an all-time bat in Miguel Cabrera still in his prime. These Tigers don’t yet have that kind of offensive force, but they’ve begun to graduate some of their highly-touted arms, such as Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal. For now, let’s take Avila’s lead and not get too far ahead of ourselves. Elsewhere…

  • Justin Turner is seeking a three-year deal, per Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. That might be a tough sell for the 36-year-old. Three years might be the ask for Turner, who is represented by GEM Agency, but it’s just as likely a starting point to give their side some wiggle room in negotiations. That said, Turner was a central piece for the World Series champs, slashing .307/.400/.460 across 175 plate appearances in 2020. That’s good for a 140 wRC+. The immediate concern, rather, relates to his viability at third base that far into the future. His glovework earned marks of -2 OAA in 2020 and -1 DRS, both of which are palatable marks. But if there’s significant regression coming for Turner, the glove is where to look first. Regardless, for those clubs looking to add an impact bat in 2021, there aren’t many better than Turner.
  • The Rays have discussed the possibility of a reunion with Chris Archer, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Given the Rays’ tendency to limit starter innings, they need the whole of the staff to be capable of soaking up innings. Archer could certainly help in that regard. Besides, if anyone knows what Archer is capable of, it would be Tampa Bay. For the present, however, the Rays are focused on players who might accept minor league contracts. The payroll likely is what it is, notes Topkin, meaning that if they’re going to add much in the way of salary, we should expect a matching expulsion. They need a catcher, of course, probably a couple, and more generally, GM Erik Neander wants the club to make more contact.
  • Clayton McCullough will replace George Lombard as the first base coach for the Dodgers, per J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group (via Twitter). Lombard was named A.J. Hinch’s new bench coach in Detroit. The rest of the Dodgers’ coaching staff from 2020 are returning. McCullough has been with the Dodgers for seven seasons, serving recently as minor league field coordinator. Prior to joining the Dodgers, he managed at a number of different levels in the Blue Jays’ system.

Angels Notes: Watson, Royals, McCann, Rojas

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Gene Watson is leaving the Royals for the Angels’ front office, ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan reports (Twitter link).  Watson will be a special advisor to new Angels GM Perry Minasian, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, and The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya recently chronicled Watson’s longstanding ties to Minasian dating back to Minasian’s childhood.

Watson has spent the last 14 seasons with the Royals, the last three as the team’s senior director of pro scouting and a special assistant to GM Dayton Moore.  Watson previously worked as a scout with the Padres, Braves, and Marlins before coming to Kansas City, and his long career as a respected evaluator put him on the radar for general manager openings in the past.  Of greatest relevance, Watson interviewed for the Angels’ job before Minasian was hired, and Watson also spoke with the Astros about their GM vacancy last offseason.

More from Anaheim…

  • The Angels were known to be suitors for James McCann, who reached an agreement with the Mets today on a four-year deal worth over $40MM.  According to Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times, the Angels weren’t willing to offer McCann more than a three-year contract.  Given the large amount of interest McCann was generating in the free agent market, it would be interesting to know if any other teams besides the Mets went beyond a three-year offer, or if it was indeed the fourth year that clinched the signing for New York.  It remains to be seen if the Angels will pursue another catcher or if their interest in the position was limited to McCann — in regards to J.T. Realmuto, Torres figures the Halos will spend on pitching rather than direct resources towards a nine-figure deal for Realmuto’s services.
  • Longtime Angels broadcaster Victor Rojas was the most surprising name to interview for the team’s GM position, and Rojas discussed his candidacy with Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.  Previously a minor leaguer in the Angels farm system in 1990, the GM of the independent Newark Bears for two seasons, and the son of former big leaguer Cookie Rojas, the younger Rojas carried a unique resume to go along with his 11 years of calling Angels games on television.  The interview stemmed from a lengthy memo Rojas wrote after the season detailing how he would address various issues within the organization since, as he told Shaikin, “as an Angels fan, I was getting a little frustrated.”

Royals Re-Sign Bubba Starling, Carlos Sanabria, Foster Griffin

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The Royals have brought back three familiar faces, announcing that outfielder Bubba Starling, right-hander Carlos Sanabria, and left-hander Foster Griffin have all been signed to minor league contracts.  The trio were all cut loose by the Royals within the last two weeks, with Starling being non-tendered and Sanabria and Griffin both electing free agency after being designated for assignment by the club.

Starling is the best-known name of the bunch, owing to his status as the fifth overall pick of the 2011 draft.  A local product from Gardner, Kansas, Starling never put things together in the minors (and considered retiring in 2017) until posting an .806 OPS in 285 PA for Triple-A Omaha in 2019, which earned him his first trip to the big leagues.  Over 261 plate appearances over the 2019-20 seasons, Starling has a .204/.246/.298 slash line against MLB pitching.

Sanabria was claimed off waivers from the Astros in October.  The righty (who turns 24 in January) made his Major League debut in 2020, tossing two innings over two games.  An international signing out of Venezuela in 2014, Sanabria has spent his entire career in Houston’s organization, posting a 3.81 ERA, 2.15 K/BB rate, and 8.9 K/9 over 354 minor league innings and working exclusively as a reliever over the last three seasons.

Griffin also made his MLB debut in 2020, throwing 1 2/3 hitless innings for the Royals on July 27 before suffering a tear in his UCL during that first outing.  Griffin will now miss the entire 2021 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.  The Royals drafted Griffin with the 28th overall pick in 2014, and he has a 4.77 ERA, 2.19 K/BB rate, and 7.2 K/9 over 708 innings in Kansas City’s farm system.

Latest On Nationals’ Free Agent Targets

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The Nationals have some holes to fill in their lineup, and Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post reports that the club has interest in the recently non-tendered Kyle Schwarber.  However, in contrast to earlier reports, the Nats aren’t pursuing an even bigger name in infielder DJ LeMahieu, according to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.

Given the uncertainty over how much the Nats are willing to commit towards payroll in 2021, this news could be further indication that D.C.’s spending may be somewhat limited this offseason.  LeMahieu will command a hefty multi-year deal, while Schwarber could potentially be available on just a one-year contract.  Teams such as the Twins, Angels, Yankees, and Blue Jays have also been linked to Schwarber, but it remains to be seen how this fairly substantial amount of interest will translate into new deal for the former fourth overall pick.

Schwarber hit only .188/.308/.393 over 224 plate appearances in 2020, a far cry from his .245/.347/.503 slash line over 1120 PA in 2018-19.  Though he was still making plenty of hard contact, he had some bad luck on that contact in the form of a .219 BABIP, and he was also making less contact in general with a 29.5% strikeout rate (his highest in three seasons.

Between that dropoff at the plate and a below-average (-2.5 UZR/150, -3 Defensive Runs Saved) performance in left field, Schwarber was only worth 0.4 fWAR in 2020.  Schwarber earned $7MM last season and was projected to earn a healthy raise in arbitration, leading the Cubs to just part ways with Schwarber entirely at the non-tender deadline as Chicago looked to cut back on payroll.

Assuming a return to his pre-2020 form, Schwarber would add some much needed left-handed hitting pop to the Nats’ lineup.  He could be slotted into left field (with Juan Soto moving to right) if the National League doesn’t have a DH spot available in 2021, though Dougherty notes that such a move wouldn’t help the Washington improve its defensive issues in the outfield.  This is just my speculation, but it’s at least possible the Nationals could explore using Schwarber as a first baseman, as Washington also has a need at that position and Schwarber has worked out as a first baseman before, though he played first base only once in the majors and in two minor league games.

Naturally, LeMahieu would have been a bigger upgrade from both a hitting perspective and a defensive perspective, as he has posted MVP-caliber numbers over the last two years with the Yankees and could be utilized at first, second, or third base.  The Yankees and Blue Jays have been the teams most closely linked to LeMahieu’s market thus far, though the Astros and Mets also rumored to have at least some interest.

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