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Yankees Sign Chad Bettis

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FEBRUARY 16: The Yankees have announced the signing of Bettis to a minor-league deal.

FEBRUARY 15: Former Rockies pitcher Chad Bettis is among those who have been invited to Yankees’ camp this spring, according to multiple reporters (including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). Once finalized, it will be a minor-league deal for Bettis, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter). He would stand to make $1.5MM if he makes the active roster, with an additional $2MM available in performance bonuses, Sherman adds.

Bettis carved out a few solid seasons as a back-of-the-rotation arm in Colorado, most notably from 2015-16. Over that stretch, he tossed 301 innings with a 4.57 ERA and 4.11 FIP, decent production for a pitcher calling Coors Field home. Unfortunately, a series of health scares knocked Bettis off course and he hasn’t managed to replicate that past production.

He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in December 2016, although he made an inspiring return to the mound that August. A blister on his pitching hand and a left hip impingement sent Bettis back to the injured list each of the past two seasons. When he did manage to take the mound, Bettis’ results had waned. In 2019, his first year in a full-time relief role, he mustered just a 6.08 ERA, causing Colorado to cut him loose after the season.

There was little word on interest in Bettis thereafter, although he says he’s feeling better physically than he has since beating cancer. He could be starting or relief depth for a Yankee club that bolsters quite a few talented arms in both the rotation and the bullpen.

Latest On Chris Sale

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Chris Sale’s 2019 season came to an end in August when he hit the shelf with left elbow inflammation. Fortunately, he was able to treat the injury with a PRP injection and rest. The Red Sox ace began a throwing program in December, and he told reporters today (including Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe) his elbow is now fine. Tommy John surgery was never on the table, Sale said (via Chris Cotillo of MassLive).

More recently, though, the 30-year-old (31 in March) came down with a mild case of pneumonia, reports Christopher Smith of MassLive. Boston won’t ramp him up too hard during spring training, manager Ron Roenicke told Smith, preferring to cautiously monitor as he rebuilds strength. Roenicke acknowledged that conservative build-up leaves open the possibility Sale could miss Opening Day. Nevertheless, the left-hander expressed hope (via Cotillo) he will indeed be ready for the start of the season.

A return to form for Sale is critical if the Red Sox are to compete for a playoff spot. He posted only a 4.40 ERA in 2019, nearly a full run higher than his previous career-worst mark. Of course, Sale’s peripherals tell a different story. His 35.6% strikeout rate trailed only Gerrit Cole’s 39.9% mark (minimum 100 innings). Sale’s 6.1% walk rate, too, was much better than average. Even with an uptick in home runs to a career-worst 1.47/9, Sale’s 3.39 FIP was among the top 20 in the league.

He, Eduardo Rodríguez, and Nathan Eovaldi will lead a rotation with a fair bit of upside but ample uncertainty. A healthy, productive season from Sale is all the more important in the wake of the recent Mookie Betts/David Price trade.

Carlos Correa Defends Jose Altuve’s MVP, Astros’ 2017 Title

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As the Astros have bungled their apologies for the sign-stealing scandal that has dominated this offseason, Carlos Correa has perhaps been the organization’s most forthright member. In response to the most recent backlash around the game, Correa came out with a passionate defense of the organization- and teammate José Altuve– in an interview with Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic.

“José Altuve was the one guy that didn’t use the trash can,” Correa told Rosenthal. “The few times that the trash can was banged was without his consent, and he would go inside the clubhouse and inside the dugout to whoever was banging the trash can and he would get (upset). He would get mad. He would say, ’I don’t want this. I can’t hit like this. Don’t you do that to me.’ He played the game clean.”

“The reason José Altuve apologized to the media was for being part of the team and for not stopping it,” Correa continued. “But he’s not apologizing for using the trash can. He’s not apologizing for cheating because he did not cheat … José Altuve earned that MVP, and he’s been showing that for years.”

Correa’s defense of Altuve came in response to Cody Bellinger, who sounded off on the scandal Friday. Bellinger argued the Astros “stole” the 2017 World Series from the Dodgers and that Altuve “stole an MVP from (Aaron) Judge.” Bellinger also referenced the unsubstantiated rumors that Astros’ hitters wore electronic buzzers the last few years, made famous by Altuve’s refusal to take off his shirt after his 2019 ALCS-clinching home run off Aroldis Chapman. The Astros have categorically denied using buzzers, and Correa doubled down on that yesterday.

“2019, nobody wore buzzers. That’s a lie,” Correa told Rosenthal. He continued, “(Altuve) hit that home run off Chapman fair and square. He was not wearing buzzers. That’s a story that a fake account on Twitter broke, and then people just got on that wagon and started talking about the buzzers. Like, no. Nobody thought about buzzers. Nobody was using buzzers.”

Instead, Correa gave a pair of explanations to Rosenthal for Altuve’s unwillingness to have his shirt ripped. First, he says, Altuve’s wife had previously told him not to remove his shirt on the field. Somewhat comically, Correa added that Altuve was embarrassed about a “horrible” unfinished collarbone tattoo he wished to keep hidden from public view.

To be clear, Correa did not shy away from all criticism related to the scandal. He admitted to Rosenthal that hitters who used the trash can system in 2017 gained an improper, unfair advantage over opposing pitchers. (In that respect, he disagreed with Astros’ owner Jim Crane, whom Correa says “doesn’t know what kind of advantage we have…because, from afar, it looks hard“). Rather, his defense of the organization’s legacy lies in their postseason success.

Correa argued that the club often struggled to decode signs from the center field camera during the postseason due to opposing teams’ improved countervailing efforts, citing numerous key hits he claims were unsupported by sign stealing. That not every hit was sign stealing-aided, even if true, isn’t enough to say definitively that the Astros would or wouldn’t have won the 2017 World Series without the scheme, though.

Additionally, Correa pointed to the commissioner’s office finding no evidence the club continued the sign stealing efforts in 2019. Last year’s AL pennant, the shortstop argued, was “clean baseball all around.” Of course, some fans and opposing players will roll their eyes at that assertion; the organization has hardly earned the benefit of the doubt on this issue.

Yet Correa’s most passionate defense seemed to be of Altuve, in particular. Clearing his double play partner’s name, it seems, was the main impetus for Correa’s interview with Rosenthal, which is worth reading in full.

For what it’s worth, signstealingscandal.com, which attempted to log every trash can bang during Astros’ 2017 home games, recorded bangs on just 2.8% of pitches (24 bangs on 866 pitches) thrown to Altuve, never more than two in any particular game. These, again, were against Altuve’s wishes, according to Correa. That’s clearly not definitive proof Altuve didn’t participate in the scandal (and as both Correa and Altuve admitted, he deserves some blame for doing little to stop it). Nevertheless, it’s at least partially supportive of Altuve’s legacy and the legitimacy of his 2017 MVP.

NL Notes: Wong, Nationals, Martinez, Howard

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Some notes from around the National League:

  • Kolten Wong would be open to discussing a long-term extension with the Cardinals, he told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch this week. The 29-year-old has settled in as a productive everyday second baseman in recent seasons. Since the start of 2017, Wong has compiled a productive .274/.357/.409 slash (105 wRC+). More importantly, he’s emerged as one of the game’s top defenders at the keystone. Wong will make $10.25MM in 2020, the final guaranteed year of the early-career extension he signed. St. Louis also holds a $12.5MM club option ($1MM) on his services that would easily be exercised if he continues to produce at his recent levels.
  • The Nationals’ World Series winning 2019 season started dreadfully, as they won just 19 of their first 50 games. Last fall, ownership said they never considered parting ways with manager Dave Martinez amidst the slow start. One more bad week last May, though, and the front office could have contemplated a change, reports Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. One name discussed internally as a potential Martinez replacement: Buck Showalter, who, as Rosenthal notes, worked with Nats GM Mike Rizzo in Arizona from 1998-2000. Of course, that’s little more than an historical footnote now, as Martinez should be on solid footing after leading a remarkable turnaround. He and Rizzo are each entering the final guaranteed year of their contracts (although the Nationals have an option on Martinez for 2021). That said, neither Martinez nor Rizzo expressed worry about their situations as camp opens, and Rosenthal writes that “chances are” both will eventually work out extensions.
  • The Phillies plan to start top pitching prospect Spencer Howard slowly in 2020, the organization tells Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The hope is to conserve some innings in the early going so the organization needn’t worry about shutting Howard down if they find themselves in a playoff race. “Every pitch he throws in March is a pitch he’s not going to be able to throw in September,” GM Matt Klentak told Lauber. “It’s not because something is wrong, and it’s not because we don’t like him. It’s because we like him a lot, and we need to set him up for success to pitch deep into the season this year.” The 23-year-old, Baseball America’s #27 overall prospect, threw fewer than 100 minor-league innings in 2019, in part due to a midseason shutdown with shoulder soreness. Nevertheless, it seems he’s likely to make his MLB debut at some point in 2020 now that his arm is fully healthy.

Rays Notes: Montreal, Sternberg, Mets, Roster

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Conflicting reports have emerged about a potential sale within the Rays’ ownership group, as Montreal businessman Stephen Bronfman told Rejean Tremblay of Le Journal De Montreal (hat tip to Sportsnet.ca’s Ryan McKenna for the translation) that a Bronfman-led group of investors would buy a minority share of the Rays within a few months’ time.  This statement was denied by no less than Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg himself, who told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that “there’s nothing happening in months. No way.”

As Sternberg, Bronfman, and Major League Baseball continue to explore the possibility of the Rays splitting their home schedule between St. Petersburg and Montreal come the 2028 season, Sternberg said that Bronfman’s group “eventually, at a point, I would expect and believe they could and would become minority partners….I need some representation up there.”  A partial sale wouldn’t happen, however, until construction is actually in progress on a new stadium in Montreal, Sternberg stressed.  That ballpark is still very much in the conceptual stages, as land has yet to be secured and the city of Montreal has yet to approve any building.  Still, Bronfman and the Rays are hopeful of having their two-city idea green-lit by MLB by the end of the year.

Some more from Tampa…

  • Speaking of ownership, Topkin writes in a separate piece that neither Sternberg or Rays minority owner Randy Frankel were planning a bid to potentially buy the Mets.  After plans to sell the club to Steve Cohen fell through, the Wilpon and Katz families still intend to sell the Mets.  Frankel “was involved with a group that expressed interest in 2011” in purchasing the Mets, Topkin writes, while Sternberg is a Brooklyn native who was a Mets fan growing up.  Of course, a Sternberg bid for the Mets would also require him to sell the Rays to another buyer.
  • Assuming no major injuries, the Rays may only have three undecided roster spots to figure out by Opening Day, Topkin writes.  Michael Perez, Kevan Smith, and Chris Herrmann will be battling for the backup catcher position, one bullpen spot will be filled from a plethora of in-house arms, and it remains to be seen whether the Rays will use their 26th roster slot on another reliever or another infielder.  Yoshitomo Tsutsugo’s ability to handle third base could be a deciding factor, as if the newly-signed slugger is capable, the Rays could have enough extra infield depth between Tsutsugo and Joey Wendle to take on the extra reliever.  Whatever the team chooses to do with their 26-man Opening Day roster, of course, can be adjusted during the season — Topkin floats a scenario that would see the Rays start the season with the extra infielder, but then call up an pitcher for extra relief depth during a busy stretch of 30 games in 31 days between April 3 and May 3.

Tony Fernandez Passes Away

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Former five-time All-Star Tony Fernandez passed away Saturday night at age 57, according to Hector Gomez of Deportivo Z 101 (Twitter link).  Fernandez suffered a brain stroke while he was already in hospital receiving treatment for complications from kidney disease, and Fernandez was placed in an induced coma two weeks ago.

Fernandez appeared in part of 17 Major League seasons from 1983-2001, suiting up for seven different teams but making his biggest impact with the Blue Jays.  Over four separate stints with Toronto, Fernandez played 1450 of his 2158 MLB games in a Jays uniform, and is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played, hits (1583), singles (1160), triples (72), and bWAR (37.5).  A switch-hitting offensive contributor who hit .288/.347/.399 over 8793 career plate appearances, Fernandez was even more highly regarded for his defense, winning four consecutive Gold Gloves at shortstop between 1986-89.

Though Fernandez was dealt to the Padres along with Fred McGriff in the blockbuster December 1990 trade that brought Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter to Toronto, Fernandez returned to the Jays in time to help his old club capture its second consecutive World Series title.  The Jays re-acquired Fernandez in a June 1993 deal with the Mets, and the shortstop hit .306/.361/.442 in 390 regular season PA with the Jays in 1993, and then .333/.423/.381 over 26 plate appearances during the 1993 World Series.  Fernandez also posted a 1.022 OPS over 34 PA during the ALCS and World Series for the Indians in 1997, during the Tribe’s run to Game Seven against the eventual world champion Marlins.

The MLB Trade Rumors staff sends our condolences and best wishes to Fernandez’s family, friends, and many fans.

NL West Notes: Pederson, Stripling, Myers, Profar, Panda

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Joc Pederson and Ross Stripling were all but officially headed from the Dodgers to the Angels in a trade that branched off from the original Dodgers/Red Sox/Twins three-team swap that would have sent Mookie Betts and David Price to Los Angeles.  While that initial three-team trade broke down and was revived as two separate deals, however, the Dodgers and Angels broke off the planned swap that would have sent Pederson, Stripling, and prospect Andy Pages to Anaheim for a package that included infield prospect Luis Rengifo.

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman kept Pederson and Stripling up to date as talks progressed, though since no trade developed, both players are still in Dodger blue.  The end result is a situation Pederson admitted was “a little awkward” as Spring Training begins, though he told media (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register) that he is “excited to be here, ready to win a World Series.”  Stripling concurred, saying that while the opportunity to be a full-time starting pitcher for the Angels was intriguing, he is happy to remain with what he described as “a first-class organization all the way through.”  As to almost being traded, Stripling “didn’t choose to take it personally,” noting “I understand the business side of it…we had a chance to get Mookie Betts and David Price. If that means getting rid of Ross Stripling, then that’s part of it.”

More from around the NL West…

  • Wil Myers also isn’t any stranger to the Mookie Betts trade saga, as he was reportedly part of a Padres offer headed to Boston in exchange for the star outfielder.  “It seemed extremely real at that given moment,” Myers told the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee and other reporters, though he noted that “I’ve been traded twice.  I’ve been in trade rumors a long time.  I’ve figured out how to deal with it.  I have no hard feelings toward anybody…I understand the business side.”  The proposed Betts trade was far from Myers’ only inclusion in the offseason rumor mill, as the Padres have reportedly been trying to unload the former AL Rookie Of The Year (and at least some of the $61MM remaining on Myers’ contract) for much of the winter.  If a trade doesn’t happen, Myers is looking forward to a new season and a fresh start with a new coaching staff, as he admitted to a bit of tension with former manager Andy Green.  “Listen, it goes both ways. There are times you’re with a guy for four years and certain things happen,” Myers said.  “Nobody hates Andy.  It was a situation that happens.  At the highest level, emotions run high.”
  • While the Padres haven’t shut the door on using Jurickson Profar at other positions during the season, Profar’s Spring Training work will be focused around second base, manager Jayce Tingler told MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell and other reporters.  “Right now, where we’re trying to get his progression on the throwing, we find it best to just stay concentrated at second base,” Tingler said.  “But, again, being a switch-hitter and being able to play six or seven different positions, we view that as a positive.”  Acquired in a trade with the Athletics in December, Profar is still looking to fully establish himself as an everyday player after dealing with multiple injuries and overall inconsistent performance, and he has still played in only 491 MLB games since the start of the 2012 season.  Profar has spent the bulk of his time at the big league level as a second baseman (1536 2/3 of 3590 2/3 career innings), though after also spending a lot of time as a shortstop, third baseman, first baseman, and left fielder, it could be that stabilizing at one position will be what helps Profar not just improve defensively, but also get his bat on track.
  • Pablo Sandoval is excited to be back with the Giants, telling Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle and other reporters that though he received offers from other teams this winter, “I didn’t want to make the same mistake I made before” in signing somewhere other than San Francisco.  (i.e. signing with the Red Sox after the 2014 season.)  It seems as if the Giants also had their eye on re-signing the Kung Fu Panda, as manager Gabe Kapler invited Sandoval along to a December lunch with pitchers Andrew Suarez and Shaun Anderson in Miami.  “I think we envisioned [Sandoval] being a Giant,” Kapler said.  It will still be a few months before Sandoval officially dons the orange-and-black in a regular season game, as the veteran is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Kris Bryant Discusses Grievance Case, Extensions, Trade Rumors

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Though Kris Bryant is still in a Cubs uniform as Spring Training begins, the third baseman has nonetheless been one of the offseason’s top newsmakers due to the sheer amount of speculation that has swirled around his future over the last few months.  Bryant addressed much of this speculation today, speaking to reporters (including MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian and The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma) about a variety of topics, including the service-time grievance that was finally decided at the end of January.

Though the arbitration panel ruled in favor of the Cubs, Bryant said he holds “no hard feelings whatsoever” towards the team over the service-time issue.  “I completely respect this organization and everything they’ve done for me and my family. They’ve given me an opportunity to play the game that I love every single day,” Bryant said.

The intent of the grievance, Bryant explained, was to confront a longstanding concern that players and the MLBPA have had for some time over top prospects whose promotions to the Major Leagues are delayed for seemingly thin or even outright dubious reasons in order to limit their service time.  In Bryant’s situation, the Cubs kept him in the minors to begin the 2015 season ostensibly so the then-star prospect could work on his defense, only for Bryant to get the call to Chicago’s MLB roster on April 17 — to the day, just long enough for the Cubs to gain an extra year of contractual control over Bryant’s services.

Bryant took it upon himself to file a grievance to better help future players in the same situation, and to put a spotlight on the service time issue as the league and players’ union prepare for talks about a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.  “I definitely felt that responsibility to take it on,” he said.  “I want to be the guy to fight for this because I feel it’s right and it’s going to help us in two years [during CBA talks].  But I always knew it was an uphill battle.  No, I didn’t flip any tables or anything like that.  It was very respectful from the get-go.”

Though the Cubs were widely expected to win the grievance case, the chance of a decision in Bryant’s favor (which would have made him a free agent after the 2020 season rather than the 2021 season) was seen as a reason why he might still be a Cub today, as rival clubs were unwilling to trade for Bryant if they didn’t know how long he would be under team control.  While Chicago continues to explore trade possibilities, it has now been three weeks since Bryant’s case was decided, with seemingly no progress made towards a deal.

Bryant spent this winter trying to avoid trade rumors as best he could, though he said he hasn’t gotten any indications from the Cubs about any potential deals, which doesn’t fit entirely well with the former NL MVP.

“I guess I would like to be in the loop a little bit,” Bryant said.  “Obviously, they don’t have to keep me in the loop by any means, you know?  But, I feel like I’ve earned a little respect here, in just how I go about my business and just who I am as a player and a person, too, to kind of sit down and have talks like that.”

While a trade is out of Bryant’s hands, he reiterated how much he would like to remain with the Cubs, and said he is “always open” to discussing a possible contract extension to remain in Wrigleyville over the long term.  It was almost exactly one year ago that Bryant told reporters that he hadn’t yet been approached by Chicago’s front office about an extension, and during Saturday’s media session, he wanted to clear the air about other contractual speculation.

“The biggest thing with the trade rumors that have disappointed me is I feel like people, not everybody, but the main reasoning behind it is: Let’s get rid of him now because he doesn’t want to be here in two years,” Bryant said.  “He turned down this monster extension ’well north of $200MM.’  And I’m like, ’Where was that?  I never saw that.’  It’s just these rumors and sources and people just saying things.  The only thing that matters is what comes from my mouth.  Never once have I said I never wanted to play here.  I’m pretty sure you guys can go through all the recordings, all the interviews.  I’ve always said I respect everyone in this organization, everyone in this city, the fans.  We have it so good here.  Of course I would love to play here.”

Phillies Acquire Kyle Garlick From Dodgers

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The Phillies and Dodgers have agreed to a trade that will send outfielder Kyle Garlick to the Phillies, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. In return, the Dodgers will receive minor league left-hander Tyler Gilbert. To clear a spot for Garlick on the 40-man roster, outfielder Nick Martini was designated for assignment.

Garlick had been designated earlier this week. He got a brief taste of the Majors with the Dodgers in 2019, appearing in 30 games and slashing .250/.321/.521 with three home runs. It was a nice showing from the 28-year-old rookie, who will have to show that he can hang around in the big leagues after an impressive showing at Triple-A.

With two minor league options remaining, Garlick could be a nice reserve option for the Phillies in the corner outfield. He’ll compete with the likes of Nick Williams, Roman Quinn, and Jay Bruce for bench at-bats. For what it’s worth, Garlick is the only true righty of that group (Quinn is a switch-hitter).

Gilbert is a 26-year-old reliever who was the Phillies’ 6th-round pick in 2015. He spent all of last season at Triple-A, pitching 47 2/3 innings of 2.83-ERA baseball, striking out 46 batters. With the Dodgers’ crowded bullpen unit, he’s a long shot to genuinely contend for a roster spot, but he at least represents good depth, especially in case of injuries.

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