Latest On Yasiel Puig And The Outfield Market
JANUARY 24: Jon Heyman of MLB Network casts doubt on the Yankees as a potential fit for Puig, tweeting that there’s “no evidence” New York has interest in adding another right-handed hitting outfielder.
JANUARY 23: The Marlins have been tied to a number of outfielders lately, including Anthony Santander of the Orioles and Andrew Benintendi of the Red Sox. Limited financial resources will curb their willingness to bid on free agent options like Adam Duvall and Eddie Rosario, tweets Jon Heyman. They do, however, have some prospect capital that they’re willing to spend on the right player. At present, Corey Dickerson returns to left, Starling Marte to center, and Garrett Cooper to right, with Brian Anderson occasionally shifting from third base to right, and Lewis Brinson, Harold Ramirez, and Magneuris Sierra filling as speed and defensive replacements. If the Marlins go the free agent route, however, they may explore a union with Yasiel Puig. Not having played in the Majors since 2019, Puig is a candidate to sign a value or incentive-laden deal, should if he land a contract this winter.
The Yankees and Royals are also possible destinations for Puig, per Jim Bowden of MLB Network (via Twitter). For the Royals‘ part, they have been looking for another bat to join a largely-unproven group in the grass made up of Franchy Cordero, Michael A. Taylor, and a number of options who could end up elsewhere on the diamond, such as Whit Merrifield, Ryan McBroom, Hunter Dozier, and likely DH Jorge Soler. In looking to add to that group, they’ve generally zeroed in on left-handed hitters. Even with the group they have in-house, the Royals could possibly still add a couple of outfielders, if the price were right.
As for the Yankees, they would be a surprising destination for Puig, if there were no corresponding moves. They are, after all, pretty well-stocked in the outfield with Aaron Hicks, Clint Frazier, Aaron Judge, and Mike Tauchman on the roster, Greg Allen on the 40-man roster, and Brett Gardner hanging out in free agency. Puig’s colorful personality would also be an interesting fit on the Yankees, who for literal and metaphorical reasons are generally regarded as a clean-cut organization. Still, that doesn’t preclude Puig from heading to the Bronx. After all, it’s not as if an interesting character or two haven’t donned pinstripes in the past.
East Notes: Mets, Hand, Bradley, Yankees, Rays
The Mets made an offer to free agent reliever Brad Hand that was “right in the ballpark” of the one-year, $10.5MM deal he agreed to with the Nationals, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link). New York was linked to Hand throughout the offseason, with team president Sandy Alderson acknowledging the club might’ve claimed him last fall had the team’s ownership change been finalized at the time Hand was available on waivers. After missing out on their top lefty bullpen target, the Mets could look into a Justin Wilson reunion, Heyman posits.
More news and notes from the game’s East divisions:
- Elsewhere on the Mets, free agent center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. is “on their radar,” hears Heyman (Twitter link). That’s hardly an indication New York is actively engaged in the bidding for Bradley, but he does make sense as a potential target for the Mets after they missed out on George Springer. Outfield isn’t necessarily an area of need, but acquiring a true center fielder would push current projected starter Brandon Nimmo into a corner role for which he might be better suited. Bradley is one of the game’s best defenders and coming off a strong 2020 season at the plate.
- The Yankees tried to acquire Joe Musgrove and Jameson Taillon in a package deal with the Pirates before Pittsburgh traded Musgrove to the Padres, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link). New York ended up pulling in Taillon for a package of four prospects this morning. Taillon and free agent signee Corey Kluber have been New York’s most important rotation pickups this winter.
- The Rays are hiring former major league outfielder Denard Span as a special assistant in baseball operations, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. A Tampa native, Span spent part of the 2018 season playing for the Rays. The former first-rounder also played for the Twins, Nationals, Giants and Mariners over an eleven-year MLB playing career. Span explained his decision to retire as a player last June.
Pirates GM Ben Cherington Discusses Offseason
The Pirates sent Jameson Taillon to the Yankees this morning, making him the second starting pitcher the Bucs have moved this offseason (after Joe Musgrove). In addition to Musgrove and Taillon, Pittsburgh sent first baseman Josh Bell to the Nationals earlier this winter.
Today’s trade could mark the end of Pittsburgh’s teardown of the MLB roster for this offseason. General manager Ben Cherington told reporters (including Rob Biertempfel of the Athletic) that the Pirates’ front office will now “likely shift our energy back toward adding to the team,” although he cautioned they’ll “definitely keep the phone on” if rival teams call on their remaining big leaguers. Specifically, picking up a veteran starter is now a priority, Cherington said.
Presumably, that’d be a lower-cost addition. The Pirates perennially run one of the league’s lowest payrolls, and there’s no reason to expect any high-impact acquisitions at the start of a rebuild. Free agency offers a plethora of experienced starters coming off down or injury-plagued seasons. The opportunity to claim a regular rotation spot in a pitcher-friendly home park could appeal to any number of rebound candidates.
Cherington also noted that Miguel Yajure could compete for a rotation spot at some point in 2021 (via Biertempfel). Part of the four-player return for Taillon, the 22-year-old had an MLB cameo out of the Yankees’ bullpen last season.
Pirates Designate Troy Stokes For Assignment
The Pirates are designating outfielder Troy Stokes Jr. for assignment, per Rob Biertempfel of the Athletic (Twitter link). Stokes was claimed off waivers from the Tigers earlier this month.
Pittsburgh needed to open a 40-man roster spot after today’s trade with the Yankees. Miguel Yajure and Roansy Contreras were each on New York’s 40-man; Jameson Taillon’s departure only freed space for one of those players.
Stokes, 25 next month, hasn’t yet made his MLB debut. A former fourth-round pick of the Brewers, he has bounced from Milwaukee to Detroit to Pittsburgh over the past couple years via waivers. That suggests Stokes is held in some regard by teams; indeed, the Tigers and Pirates were at the top of the league in waiver priority at the time of their respective claims. It wouldn’t be surprising if Stokes winds up claimed yet again.
In parts of six minor-league seasons, Stokes has compiled a .250/.351/.411 line while playing mostly left field. He has a pair of minor-league option years remaining. The Pirates have a week to trade Stokes, release him, or place him on outright waivers.
Giants Interested In Eddie Rosario, Jackie Bradley Jr.
The Giants are looking to add outfield help, and Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that Eddie Rosario and Jackie Bradley Jr. are two of the names under consideration. Both players are also left-handed hitters, “which ticks off another box on the Giants’ wish list,” Slusser writes.
Considering that Bradley and Rosario have very different skillsets, the Giants are clearly keeping their options open as they explore how to best construct their outfield. The current mix consists of Mike Yastrzemski as the only true everyday option in right field, Mauricio Dubon getting the bulk of center field playing time, and Alex Dickerson and Darin Ruf platooning in left field. Austin Slater, Steven Duggar, Luis Alexander Basabe, and Jaylin Davis provide further depth on the bench and in the upper minors.
Signing Bradley would bring one of the game’s top defensive players to the spacious Oracle Park outfield, and he would immediately slide into the everyday center field job. Dubon would still get some playing time in center field when a left-handed starter was on the mound, but the Giants could perhaps bounce Dubon around the diamond to second base, shortstop, or possibly other positions in a super-utility role. Signing Rosario to take over in left field would perhaps make Dickerson a little superfluous, though since Yastrzemski has looked okay in limited center field action, the Giants could opt for an all left-handed array of Rosario/Yastrzemski/Dickerson in the outfield against some right-handed pitching.
Bradley offers excellent glovework and something of an inconsistent bat, though he is coming off a season that saw him hit .283/.364/.450 with seven home runs over 217 plate appearances for the Red Sox. He also posted some strong numbers in 2015-16, but a slash line of only .234/.318/.409 in 1643 PA during the 2017-19 seasons seemingly lowered Bradley’s potential ceiling as a hitter. Bradley turns 31 in April, but a change of scenery could revive his bat after eight seasons in Boston.
As something of the opposite of Bradley, Rosario is a bat-first player who is perhaps a little underrated on defense, considering that Rosario has been above-average (+9 Defensive Runs Saved, +2.9 UZR/150) over 4848 career innings as a left fielder. Rosario also delivered plenty of pop during his six years with the Twins, hitting .277/.310/.478 with 119 homers in 2830 PA.
In December, however, Rosario wasn’t tendered a contract. Minnesota opted to let Rosario go due to his escalating arbitration price tag (projected to land between $8.6MM and $12.9MM) and because top prospects Alex Kirilloff and Trevor Larnach are both waiting in the wings for regular Major League duty. The 29-year-old Rosario also posts a lot of strikeouts and doesn’t reach base often, which limits his offensive production.
Bradley has drawn more public interest than Rosario this winter, as Rosario has been linked to only the Marlins and Red Sox on the rumor mill. Boston has also been known to have interest in a reunion with Bradley, and at least five other teams have also been connected to Bradley’s market. Of course, that list has likely seen some alterations as the offseason has rolled on — the Blue Jays, for instance, are almost certainly out on Bradley after signing George Springer.
Braves Re-Sign Pablo Sandoval To Minors Deal
The Braves have signed infielder Pablo Sandoval to a minor league contract, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (via Twitter). Sandoval will earn $1MM if he makes Atlanta’s active roster.
Sandoval is back in Atlanta after first joining the Braves on a minors deal in September. The team brought the Panda aboard to add depth given the Braves’ lack of third base production, and Sandoval ended up appearing in one regular-season game and then three NLCS games (as a pinch-hitter or defensive replacement) in an Atlanta uniform. Since the Braves are still hoping for a breakout from Austin Riley and a rebound from Johan Camargo, it makes sense that Sandoval would again be brought back as a depth option.
If he breaks camp, the 34-year-old Sandoval will appear in his 14th Major League season and continue a career that has already delivered plenty of memorable moments. Best known for his long tenure in San Francisco, Sandoval was part of three World Series championship teams, and won Series MVP honors in 2012. He hasn’t been a true everyday player since 2014 (the final year of his initial tenure with the Giants), but Sandoval has at times been a productive part-timer and bench bat. As recently as 2019, Sandoval hit .268/.313/.507 with 14 home runs over 296 plate appearances for the Giants.
MLBTR Chat Transcript
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Braves Notes: Aaron, Hendriks, Springer
The idea of Henry Aaron and Willie Mays in the same outfield is the stuff of “all-time team” discussions, yet the two legends came close to beginning their careers as teammates. MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince looks back at an Aaron quote given to author Donald Honig for an essay published close to 20 years ago, as Aaron stated that the Boston Braves and Mays’ New York Giants were among the teams looking to sign Aaron away from the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro Leagues.
“I had the Giants’ contract in my hand, but the Braves offered $50 a month more. That’s the only thing that kept Willie Mays and me from being teammates — $50,” Aaron said.
If it’s any consolation to old-school Giants fans, Castrovince notes that this story could be somewhat apocryphal. Plus, Aaron might not have gotten as immediate a chance to regularly play if he had signed with the Giants, considering New York had a stacked team that won the 1954 World Series. However, one can only imagine the alternate version of baseball history that would have grown from a Mays/Aaron tandem in the Giants’ outfield, whether it results in more championships for the Giants, how it would have impacted Aaron’s home run totals, or perhaps whether the Giants would have remained in New York rather than moved to San Francisco.
More on the Braves…
- The Braves had interest in Liam Hendriks before Hendriks signed with the White Sox earlier this month, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link). This could indicate that Atlanta is looking to bolster its closing options, and perhaps make a significant investment in the process. The Braves have shown willing to spend on their bullpen in recent years, with moves like last winter’s free agent deal with Will Smith and absorbing Mark Melancon‘s contract at the 2019 trade deadline. Melancon handled closer duties for Atlanta in 2020 and is still unsigned, so a reunion seems theoretically possible.
- George Springer was also reportedly on the Braves’ radar until the very late stages of the outfielder’s free agent tenure, though ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (subscription required) writes that the team was looking to act “as a potential safety net” if Springer didn’t find a long-term offer to his satisfaction. Essentially, it would have been this offseason’s version of the Braves’ past one-year deals with Marcell Ozuna and Josh Donaldson, as Atlanta took advantage of thin markets for those two players and were rewarded with outstanding seasons. Springer did find the big deal he was looking for, however, landing a six-year, $150MM contract from the Blue Jays.
Jameson Taillon Could Be Next Pirates Player To Be Traded
10:45 pm: A trade does appear to be on the horizon, potentially as soon as tomorrow, per Jason Mackey (via Twitter). By all accounts, nothing has been finalized. The Pirates are said to be looking for high-ceiling prospects, even if that means taking players who are further away from reaching the Majors.
8:45 pm: The Yankees are indeed one of the teams talking to the Pirates about Taillon, tweets MLB Insider Jon Heyman. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (via Twitter) goes as far as to say they “appear to be emerging as the frontrunner.” The Yankees are not the only team involved, however, as the Pirates have offers from multiple teams, adds Jason Mackey of PGSportsNow. Taillon has two years of control remaining.
2:23 pm: Joe Musgrove now gets his paychecks from the San Diego Padres, and Josh Bell his from the Washington Nationals, so it’s only natural that someone step into the void as the “next Pirates player to be traded.” According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (via Twitter), right-hander Jameson Taillon is in the proverbial on-deck circle. Feinsand and MLB.com’s Adam Berry hear that Jameson could be moved as soon as this weekend.
When Taillon made his debut as a 24-year-old in 2016, he and then-rotation-mate Gerrit Cole represented a promising core that was meant to build on the success of a 98-win 2015 team. That future never quite came to be, of course, as the Pirates fell back to the basement of the NL Central and now face yet another organizational rebuild. From that perspective, trades of the roster’s veterans are borderline inevitable. Still, a Taillon trade at this juncture is not without its complications, given his uncertain status returning from Tommy John surgery. Taillon went under the knife in August 2019, missing the entire 2020 season. It was the second Tommy John surgery of his career.
Taillon’s one full season came in 2018 when he made 32 starts and logged 191 innings with a 3.20 ERA/3.46 FIP, 22.8 percent strikeout rate, 5.9 percent walk rate, and 46.2 percent walk rate. That’s the version of Taillon that will stick in the heads of opposing teams as they consider acquiring the 29-year-old. Generally speaking, Taillon brings better-than-average strikeout rates, near-elite walk rates, and a career-average 85 FIP-. Though expectations should be tempered to reflect his injury status, it’s fair to hope that Taillon might again provide mid-rotation-or-better production for a contender.
The Yankees were linked to Taillon earlier this offseason and could still be a potential landing spot. Of course, it would not be hard to find a team in need of a starting pitcher – even one coming off his second TJ surgery. Given the caution with which most teams are approaching increasing workloads for 2021, a rehabbing hurler like Taillon may benefit from a smoother transition back to action, as he would not be expected to post a 200-inning season out of the blocks.
Quick Hits: Alex Wood, Giants, Twins, Ehire Adrianza
Alex Wood‘s one-year contract with the Giants pays out $3MM with another $3MM in incentives, but it’s the structure of those incentives that makes the contract unique, writes Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports.com. Wood’s deal will reward the southpaw for consistency working deep into games. He’ll make $150K after 12 games of 10-plus outs, and another $150K after 14 such games. He’d then get $250K for each of 16, 18, 22, and 24 10-out games, and $500K for 26, 28, or 30 10-out outings. Given the 3 1/3 inning threshold, Wood should have a decent chance of reaching those benchmarks if he’s in the rotation, but the structure leaves open the possibility of earning his incentives even if he works as an opener or follower.
- Speaking of Wood, he almost signed with the Giants last season, but he chose to return to the Dodgers instead to take his best shot at winning a World Series ring, per John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. That worked out about as well as possible, but now Wood hopes to return to the rotation on a regular basis. Wood made just two starts with the Dodgers in 2020, working a total of 12 2/3 innings (which included seven relief appearances). He spent more than a month on the injured list suffering from shoulder inflammation. With the Giants, he’ll have an opportunity to pitch his way back into the rotation. That said, after bringing back Kevin Gausman and signing Anthony DeSclafani, Wood is not without competition for those starting spots. He’ll have to stay healthy as well, which has not been a given for Wood in recent seasons.
- Ehire Adrianza signaled an end to his time in Minnesota with a post on instagram thanking the fans in Minnesota for his four years there. As of now, however, it’s not readily apparent if Adrianza has a new team lined up for 2021, per Chris Miller of the Star Tribune. The versatile switch-hitter has played everywhere on the diamond except for centerfield over his eight-year career. He spent four seasons with the Giants and the last four with the Twins, compiling a career triple slash line of .244/.310/.360, good for an 82 wRC+. The 31-year-old doesn’t offer a lot of pop, but he generally puts the ball in play and walked at a 10.9 percent clip in 2020. He may be a value option for a team that had interest in but missed out on either Jurickson Profar or Enrique Hernández.