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Marlins Among Teams With Interest In Mel Rojas Jr.

By Steve Adams | December 8, 2020 at 8:56am CDT

Outfielder Mel Rojas Jr., the MVP of the 2020 KBO season, has drawn interest from both Asian and MLB clubs as he mulls his future. Despite a recent report that he was leaning toward a deal with Japan’s Yomiuri Giants, Rojas himself tweeted that he’s made no decision yet on where he’ll play in 2021. Not long after that, Sportsgrid’s Craig Mish reported that the Marlins are among the clubs to have shown interest in Rojas.

Rojas, 30, has gone from a relatively unheralded Pirates and Braves farmhand to a legitimate superstar in South Korea, hitting a combined .321/.388/.594 with 132 home runs in 511 games for the KT Wiz across the past four seasons. The 2020 campaign was the best of his outstanding KBO career: in 628 trips to the plate he slashed .349/.417/.680 with 47 home runs.

The KBO has long been considered a notoriously hitter-friendly setting, but league-wide offense has gone down over the past couple of seasons since the league made some changes to the composition of the ball prior to the 2019 season. Rojas’ 2020 numbers checked in at a 179 wRC+, per FanGraphs, indicating that he was 79 percent better than a league-average hitter.

Miami has a pair of outfield spots spoken for, with veterans Corey Dickerson in left field and Starling Marte in center field. They have options in right field in the form of Garrett Cooper, Harold Ramirez, Lewis Brinson and Monte Harrison, but Rojas would add an intriguing name to the mix. If the NL ultimately adds a DH — teams are operating with the assumption that will not happen, for now — then Miami could potentially work both Rojas and someone like Cooper into the mix on a regular basis.

While the Fish have plenty of in-house options to consider, the appeal of adding a player like Rojas is readily apparent for a typically low-payroll club. Even if Rojas puts together only average numbers, they could stomach that for what should be a relatively low salary. And if he’s able to produce anything more than that, obtaining above-average or even star-level output from a bargain pickup would be vital for a team with such limited payroll capacity.

At this point it’s not clear which route Rojas will take. He earned every bit of last year’s $1.5MM salary in the KBO, and with the Wiz and apparently some NPB teams vying for his services, he should be able to top that salary if he chooses to remain in Asia. Rojas, however, has openly expressed that his dream is to play in the Major Leagues, and this winter could represent his best opportunity to find a big league deal.

Rays Prioritizing Catchers

By Steve Adams | December 8, 2020 at 8:34am CDT

The Rays’ primary focus early in the virtual Winter Meetings is to upgrade their catching corps, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The team has only one catcher on its 40-man roster at the moment — prospect Ronaldo Hernandez, who is not yet MLB-ready — and will need to add multiple options, be it via free agency or trade.

Since the season ended, the Rays have lost three catchers from their 40-man roster — albeit by their own choice. Mike Zunino’s 2021 option was declined, while Michael Perez was claimed off waivers by the Pirates. Kevan Smith, meanwhile, elected free agency after going unclaimed on waivers. Per Topkin, the Rays have considered reunions with both Zunino and Smith.

As is always the case with the Rays, the payroll is a vital consideration in any free-agent negotiations. They owe a combined $31.5MM to the quartet of Blake Snell, Kevin Kiermaier, Yoshi Tsutsugo and Brandon Lowe in 2021, and their arbitration class could check in around another $18MM or so. Adding in pre-arbitration players to round out the roster would add another $9MM, give or take a few hundred thousand dollars.

For most clubs, a payroll shy of $60MM would mean that even in a pandemic-impacted offseason there was some considerable maneuverability, but the Rays over the past five seasons have averaged about a $70.35MM Opening Day payroll. Absent gate revenue and, as importantly, revenue sharing in 2020, it’s not clear to what extent owner Stu Sternberg is willing to invest in the roster.

It’s little wonder, then, that Snell’s name has already come up in trade rumors. As Topkin points out, it won’t be a surprise if Kiermaier’s name is floated as well. Snell and Kiermaier are the team’s only two players making in excess of $10MM in 2021. Presumably, the Rays will be open to moving or even motivated to move Tsutsugo’s $7MM salary as well.

Whether the Rays move any salary or not, it’s unlikely that they’d add a particularly expensive option behind the dish. Tampa Bay isn’t going to land J.T. Realmuto, of course, and while second-tier options like James McCann would be more logical fits, it sounds as though McCann’s market is rather robust — which makes it hard to see the Rays as a primary player. Affordable options beyond the aforementioned Zunino would include Jason Castro, Alex Avila and recently non-tendered old friend Curt Casali.

The trade market ought to feature several other intriguing options. Willson Contreras’ name could emerge as a trade candidate with the Cubs looking to cut costs. The Indians are looking to slash payroll as well and have multiple veteran catchers. Francisco Mejia has slid down the depth chart in San Diego. The Blue Jays have a glut of young backstops on the 40-man roster. If the Rays were to move Snell, they could push for a young catcher to be a focal point of any return.

Suffice it to say, there are myriad approaches for the club to take, the extent of which will be somewhat dictated by moves made (or not made) elsewhere on the roster. Topkin adds that they’ll also be on the lookout for rotation depth with Charlie Morton now in Atlanta and the trio of Yonny Chirinos (Tommy John surgery), Jalen Beeks (Tommy John surgery) and Brendan McKay (shoulder surgery) all on the mend from major injuries. With presumably limited payroll flexibility and numerous needs to address, the Rays are in a tight spot, although that’s nothing new for GM Erik Neander and his front office.

Offseason Outlook: Los Angeles Dodgers

By Connor Byrne | December 7, 2020 at 10:17pm CDT

For the first time since 1988, the Dodgers are World Series champions. Regardless of what they do this offseason, they’ll enter 2021 as favorites to win it all again, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the club make significant moves in order to bolster its chances of a repeat.

Guaranteed Contracts

Mookie Betts, OF: $295MM through 2032
David Price, LHP: $64MM through 2022
AJ Pollock, OF: $30MM through 2022 (includes $5MM buyout for 2023)
Clayton Kershaw, LHP: $23,333,333 through 2021
Max Muncy, INF: $20.5MM through 2022
Kenley Jansen, RHP: $20MM through 2021
Joe Kelly, RHP: $12.5MM through 2021 (includes $4MM buyout for 2022)
Chris Taylor, INF/OF: $7.8MM through 2021

Arbitration-Eligible Players

Note on arb-eligible players: this year’s arbitration projections are more volatile than ever, given the unprecedented revenue losses felt by clubs and the shortened 2020 schedule. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz, who developed our arbitration projection model, used three different methods to calculate different projection numbers. You can see the full projections and an explanation of each if you click here, but for the purposes of our Outlook series, we’ll be using Matt’s 37-percent method — extrapolating what degree of raise a player’s 2020 rate of play would have earned him in a full 162-game slate and then awarding him 37 percent of that raise.

Austin Barnes – $1.3MM
Cody Bellinger – $13.1MM
Walker Buehler – $2.3MM
Dylan Floro – $900K
Corey Knebel: $5.125MM
Corey Seager – $10.4MM
Julio Urias – $1.7MM

Free Agents

Justin Turner, Joc Pederson, Blake Treinen, Enrique Hernandez, Jake McGee, Pedro Baez, Alex Wood, Jimmy Nelson

There is very little to dislike about this Dodgers roster, though the team is facing some notable losses in free agency. It starts with third baseman Justin Turner, who has been an unexpected gem for the team since it signed him to a minor league contract before the 2014 campaign. The bearded Turner has since emerged as one of the faces of the Dodgers and one of their most productive players, but considering he’s 36 years old and there may not be a universal designated hitter in 2021, it’s possible the Dodgers will move on in the coming months.

If the Dodgers do let Turner walk, there are a few alternate routes they could take at the hot corner. Los Angeles could stay within and hand the position to Edwin Rios, who saw quite a bit of time at third in 2020, or shift shortstop Corey Seager there. Otherwise, Kris Bryant (Cubs), Nolan Arenado (Rockies) or even free-agent infielder DJ LeMahieu could end up as targets. An Arenado acquisition seems especially unlikely, though, in part because the Rockies and Dodgers are division rivals. ESPN’s Buster Olney recently reported there are “monumental” roadblocks standing in the way of a potential Arenado-Dodgers union.

Of course, one can’t rule out another major trade that would deliver a franchise shortstop to the Dodgers. They’re certainly in good hands at the position with Seager, but if they want to shift him to third, trading for the Indians’ Francisco Lindor would make sense. Lindor seems like a surefire bet to go in a trade this offseason because he’s projected to make anywhere from $17.5MM to $21MM in arbitration next year, and the Indians are a frugal franchise. The Dodgers have more than enough young talent to put together a package for Lindor, and as such a wealthy franchise, the four-time All-Star’s salary would not stand in their way. So, in short, the Dodgers are as logical a Lindor suitor as anyone.

Moving to the outfield, the Dodgers may wave goodbye to Joc Pederson, who has been part of the organization since it selected him in the 11th round in 2010. Pederson debuted in 2014 and has since delivered above-average offensive production, though the left-handed swinger has struggled versus same-handed pitchers. That doesn’t mean the Dodgers won’t bring Pederson back, but it doesn’t seem all that likely when considering the talent the team has in its outfield. Right fielder Mookie Betts obviously isn’t going anywhere. Cody Bellinger played the majority of the year in center, and he’s obviously there to stay. Pederson played 20 of 60 games in left, but that total fell short of AJ Pollock’s 22. The Dodgers also have Chris Taylor in the fold as someone who can play multiple outfield positions.

On the pitching side, the Dodgers are rife with quality arms, though they are dealing with some upheaval in their bullpen. The club made a notable trade last week when it acquired onetime All-Star closer Corey Knebel from the Brewers. Knebel was terrible over a small sample of work last season, but it doesn’t seem fair to write him off over what was his first action since undergoing March 2019 Tommy John surgery. As recently as 2018, Knebel was a terrific reliever; if healthy, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him at least re-emerge as a useful part of the Dodgers’ bullpen (especially considering their track record of getting the most out of veterans).

An effective Knebel would help the Dodgers replace Blake Treinen, Jake McGee and Pedro Baez, who are each free agents. Treinen was solid for the Dodgers after signing for $10MM last winter; McGee was even better on a per-inning basis after inking a low-risk deal in July; and Baez once again prevented numbers at a respectable clip. So how do the Dodgers replace those three? Well, they could re-sign any of them, but they’re otherwise looking at a free-agent market with a slew of familiar veteran relievers. And you can’t necessarily rule out another trade with the Brewers, who don’t seem to be closing the door on letting go of lights-out lefty Josh Hader. As with Lindor, the Dodgers have the talent to put together a deal for Hader.

The way the Dodgers assemble their bullpen will affect how they construct their starting staff (and vice versa). Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler have their spots locked down, and the same is probably true for David Price (if he returns next year after opting out in 2020). Beyond that group, Julio Urias, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May – who combined for 28 starts last season – remain clear candidates for rotation spots. All three look more than qualified, but if the Dodgers would rather make a sizable splash (whether that means for another starter or a position player), at least one of them could fall out of contention or even be dealt elsewhere. The team has the money to sign the No. 1 free agent available, NL Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer, and it’s worth noting president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman was at the helm of Tampa Bay’s front office when the Rays drafted 2018 AL Cy Young winner Blake Snell in 2011. Snell could now be a trade candidate for the Rays, so it’s hard not to connect him to the Dodgers partly because of the Friedman connection. Barring the acquisition of a front-line starter, though, the Dodgers don’t look as if they really have to do much in their rotation. It’s a good-looking group as it is.

However this offseason goes, the Dodgers will enter 2021 as a well-oiled machine that should once again push for a World Series championship. But considering their financial prowess, their array of talent and many other teams hesitant to spend because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this winter could give the Dodgers a chance to become even better. That’s a scary thought for the rest of Major League Baseball.

Reds Sign Dwight Smith Jr. To Minors Deal

By Connor Byrne | December 7, 2020 at 8:01pm CDT

8:01pm: It’s a minor league deal with an invitation to MLB spring training, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic tweets.

5:53pm: Outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. announced Monday on Twitter that he has signed with the Reds (h/t: Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com). It’s presumably a minor league contract for Smith, whom the Orioles outrighted in late August.

Smith, now 28, became a professional when the Blue Jays chose him 53rd overall in the 2011 draft. He went on to post impressive numbers with the Blue Jays from 2017-18, but that came in a small sample of plate appearances. The Blue Jays then traded Smith to the division-rival Orioles for international pool money prior to the 2019 campaign.

Rebuilding Baltimore gave Smith a chance to establish himself as a regular in his first year with the organization, and while he did hit 13 home runs and steal five bases, he could only muster a .241/.297/.412 line across 392 plate appearances. Smith followed up with a .222/.306/.365 mark with a pair of homers in 72 trips to the plate in 2020.

Now that he’s a member of the Cincy organization, Smith will join a team with a crowded outfield. Nick Castellanos, Jesse Winker, Shogo Akiyama, Nick Senzel and Aristides Aquino are among those in the mix for the Reds.

Pitching Notes: S. Gray, T. Williams, Urena, Phils, Jays, Matz

By Connor Byrne | December 7, 2020 at 7:53pm CDT

“Several teams” have interest in Reds right-hander Sonny Gray, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. That isn’t at all surprising in the wake of the late-November news that the Reds will at least listen to offers for Gray. General manager Nick Krall suggested later that he isn’t in a hurry to trade Gray away, but it does seem the Reds are in payroll-cutting mode, evidenced by Monday’s trade that sent reliever Raisel Iglesias to the Angels. Gray only has a guaranteed $20MM left on his contract over the next two years, but his performance in 2020 should help make it easier for the Reds to garner a major return in a deal if they do decide to move him. The 31-year-old ended the season with 56 innings of 3.70 ERA/3.05 FIP ball, 11.57 K/9 against 4.18 BB/9, and a 51.1 percent groundball rate.

Dick Allen Passes Away

By Steve Adams | December 7, 2020 at 4:34pm CDT

In saddening news, the family of iconic slugger Dick Allen announced on Twitter that the seven-time Major League All-Star passed away at his home in Wampum, Pennsylvania this morning. He was 78.

Allen, the 1964 National League Rookie of the Year with the Phillies and the 1972 American League MVP with the White Sox, was one of baseball’s most feared hitters at his peak. During an 11-year run from 1964-74, he clubbed 319 home runs in 6270 plate appearances while posting an overall batting line of .299/.386/.554 — good for a whopping 165 OPS+ and 163 wRC+.

In what many consider to be a glaring snub, Allen was not voted into Cooperstown despite a remarkable career as one of the game’s most prominent sluggers. As Jay Jaffe detailed for Baseball Prospectus in 2017 and Matt Gelb of The Athletic explained in September, racism negatively affected Allen throughout his career.

Allen may very well have been inducted by the Veteran’s Committee this year had the vote not been delayed, as USA Today’s Bob Nightengale points out, though Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia notes that he will be on the ballot again next year. He was honored by the Phillies earlier this summer when they retired his No. 15 in a well-deserved tribute. Owner John Middleton was one of the driving forces behind the decision.

“The Phillies are heartbroken over the passing today of our dear friend and co-worker, Dick Allen,” the team said in a press release. “Dick will be remembered as not just one of the greatest and most popular players in our franchise’s history, but also as a courageous warrior who had to overcome far too many obstacles to reach the level he did. Dick’s iconic status will resonate for generations of baseball fans to come as one of the all-time greats to play America’s Pastime. He is now reunited with his beloved daughter, Terri. The Phillies extend their condolences to Dick’s widow, Willa, his family, friends and all his fans from coast to coast.”

MLBTR joins the Phillies and those around the game in offering our condolences to Allen’s family, friends and fans.

Mariners Claim Robert Dugger

By Steve Adams | December 7, 2020 at 3:12pm CDT

The Mariners announced Monday that they’ve claimed righty Robert Dugger off waivers from the Marlins. Seattle also lost righty Ian Hamilton to the Phillies and righty Walker Lockett to the Blue Jays.

Dugger, 25, was an 18th-round pick of the Mariners back in 2016 but landed in Miami as part of the package that sent Dee Strange-Gordon to Seattle. He’s made a handful of appearances with the Fish over the past two seasons but hasn’t found much success, posting a 7.40 ERA and a 29-to-20 K/BB ratio in 45 innings. Dugger’s struggles have persisted in Triple-A, although he had a solid track record up through the Double-A level, where he owns a 3.60 ERA with 9.0 K/9 against 2.9 BB/9 in 180 innings of work.

Lack of track record in the Majors and Triple-A not withstanding, Dugger gives the Mariners an optionable piece of rotation depth — perhaps one they feel will benefit from a change of scenery. Dugger also saw a pronounced jump in his four-seam fastball velocity from 2019 to 2020 (90.3 mph to 92.1 mph) and in his heater’s spin rate (2191 rpm to 2321 rpm), so perhaps the Mariners believe they can help him build upon those positive indicators.

Phillies Claim Ian Hamilton From Mariners

By Connor Byrne | December 7, 2020 at 3:05pm CDT

The Phillies have claimed right-hander Ian Hamilton off waivers from the Mariners, per an announcement from Seattle.

This is the second time since September that a team has claimed Hamilton, as the Mariners did so when they got him from the White Sox. Chicago used an 11th-round pick on Hamilton in 2016 and then saw him turn into a decent prospect in its farm system, but the hard thrower hasn’t seen much action in the majors to this point.

Set to turn 26 years old next June, Hamilton has thrown 12 innings of seven-run (six earned) ball with 10 hits allowed and a 9:7 K:BB ratio. He owns a 4.85 ERA with tremendous strikeout and walk rates (10.1 K/9, 1.85 BB/9) across 42 2/3 innings in Triple-A ball.

Red Sox Outright Yairo Munoz

By Steve Adams | December 7, 2020 at 2:51pm CDT

The Red Sox announced Monday that infielder/outfielder Yairo Munoz has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Still just 25 years of age, Munoz joined the Red Sox back in March after a bizarre scene that reportedly saw him leave the Cardinals and fly home to the Dominican Republic without informing the club. The Cards responded by releasing Munoz, who apparently had been frustrated with the organization over playing time, amid other reasons.

Munoz had an impressive debut effort in 2018, batting .276/.350/.413 in 329 plate appearances while spending time at every defensive position on the field other than first base and catcher. His bat took a step back in 2019, and his playing time, accordingly, waned.

This past season, Munoz again hit well in a limited sample with the Red Sox. He came to the plate just 45 times but hit .333/.333/.511 with a homer, five doubles and a pair of stolen bases. Boston used him exclusively as a corner outfielder this season, although it’s easy to imagine that if he makes his way back onto the 40-man roster, he could be utilized all over the infield as well.

With the outright of Munoz, the Red Sox now have a pair of 40-man vacancies leading up to this week’s Rule 5 Draft.

Blue Jays Claim Anthony Castro, Walker Lockett

By Steve Adams | December 7, 2020 at 2:27pm CDT

The Blue Jays have claimed right-hander Anthony Castro off waivers from the Tigers, per an announcement out of Detroit. The move drops the Tigers’ 40-man roster down to 39 players. Toronto has also claimed fellow righty Walker Lockett from the Mariners, according to Seattle. The Jays now have a full 40-man roster.

Castro, 25, made his Major League debut with the Tigers this past season, albeit pitching in just one inning with a pair of runs allowed. Scouting reports on Castro tout his plus fastball and a potentially plus slider, but his command (or lack thereof) has proven a notable issue to this point in his pro career. Castro has 112 1/3 innings under his belt at the Double-A level but has issued 77 walks in that time. He logged a more palatable 3.3 BB/9 in 116 2/3 innings at Class-A Advanced in 2018, but he also plunked a dozen batters in that time

Castro had Tommy John surgery in 2015, wiping out that entire season for him in addition to part of the 2016 campaign. The Tigers have used him primarily as a starter, but as FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen pointed out in his scouting report last year, there’s some belief that he could maintain a heater in the upper 90s with that promising slider if used in a short relief role. It’s not clear how the Jays plan to utilize Castro, but he has a pair of minor league options remaining, so they can be patient with him if they keep him on the roster into the 2021 season.

Lockett was a waiver claim from the Mets on Sept. 1, but the 26-year-old didn’t last long in Seattle. He did throw 8 1/3 innings of four-run ball in the Mariners’ uniform, but that wasn’t enough to convince the club to retain him. Before his short Mariners tenure, Lockett – a fourth-round pick of the Padres in 2012 – had difficulty as a swingman with the Pads and the Mets. So far, Lockett has pitched to a 7.67 ERA/5.91 FIP with 6.5 K/9 and 3.33 BB/9 in 54 innings in the bigs.

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