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White Sox To Sign Edwin Encarnacion

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The White Sox have reached an agreement to sign veteran slugger Edwin Encarnacion, according to multiple reports. Dominican reporter Yancen Pujols tweets that the sides have agreed to a one-year, $12MM deal that includes a $1MM signing bonus and $11MM salary, pending a physical. The contract also comes with a $12MM club option, sans buyout, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter).

Encarnacion has been one of the game’s premier hitters since his breakout 2012 season. Though he stepped back a bit in 2018, he rebounded well in the just-completed campaign and proved he’s still capable of top-notch offensive production as he closes in on his 37th birthday.

Through 486 plate appearances over the 2019 season, Encarnacion swatted 34 long balls and slashed a healthy .244/.344/.531. That was about thirty percent above the league-average output at the plate. Encarnacion also spent a fair bit of time in the field, logging 489 innings at first base and grading within range of average with the glove.

For the South Siders, this move represents the latest addition in a busy offseason. Encarnacion will pair with Jose Abreu to form a veteran slugging duo. The latter will presumably take the lion’s share of the action at first base, but both can share the load there to stay fresh.

Whether or not the White Sox will look to keep adding bats isn’t known. The club has been tied to corner outfielders throughout the winter but has already made one move there in acquiring Nomar Mazara. With Abreu and Encarnacion likely to be in the lineup most days, and Eloy Jimenez occupying another corner outfield spot, it’d be surprising to see another high-dollar bat land in Chicago.

That’s all the more true since the White Sox catching situation seems to have some spillover. New addition Yasmani Grandal will likely spend some days at first or in the DH slot to ease his load, which will likely absorb most of the rest days for Encarnacion and Abreu. Backup receiver James McCann now seems all the more expendable, since there won’t be quite as many opportunities to deploy Grandal elsewhere.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NL West Notes: Samardzija, Cueto, Dodgers

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We’ve already rounded up news from the American League twice today. Now, let’s take a look at the latest on a pair of bitter rivals from the Senior Circuit.

  • The Giants seem likely to hold onto Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto this offseason, opines Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. That’s not particularly surprising, as San Francisco has little in the way of rotation depth. Samardzija looks like a plausible trade candidate, but any return figures to be minimal. He’ll make $18MM as a 35-year-old rental and looks like a back-end starter at this point. Cueto, meanwhile, will need to reestablish his health before another club will consider paying down some of the $46MM he’s due over the next two seasons (including a 2023 buyout). The veteran (34 in February) started just four games in September following an August 2018 Tommy John Surgery. As Schulman notes, each pitcher could see his trade value rebound with a strong first half.
  • The Dodgers have had a quiet start to the offseason, observes Andy McCullough of the Athletic. Given the club’s repeated postseason disappointments in recent years, many L.A. fans have called for a roster shakeup. That sentiment is shared by some in the Dodgers’ front office, relays McCullough, although the club’s only significant acquisition thus far has been reliever Blake Treinen, who inked a one-year, $10MM deal two weeks ago. While there’s still time for the Dodgers to make a splash- they remain front and center on the latest Mike Clevinger and Francisco Lindor rumors- McCullough points out that they haven’t acted rashly under Andrew Friedman’s leadership. They may not need to so this offseason, as they again look to be the overwhelming favorites in the NL West.

AL Notes: Biggio, Red Sox, Boyd, Angels

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We’ll round up a few stories and notes from around the American League on this Christmas afternoon.

  • Cavan Biggio could be in line to bounce around the diamond next season for the Blue Jays. The 24-year-old has no problem donning different gloves, he tells Kaitlyn McGrath of the Athletic. Biggio came up as a second baseman, although questions about his defense there dogged him consistently as a prospect. Last year, Biggio logged MLB starts at first base, second base, left field, and right field, although most of his work indeed came at the keystone. Now, he’d be amenable to logging time at third base and/or in center field next season, too. General Manager Ross Atkins has previously floated Biggio as a possibility to help solidify the Jays’ questionable center field mix, McGrath notes. Manager Charlie Montoyo will surely be looking for ways to get Biggio’s potent bat into the lineup. Thanks to elite plate discipline, Biggio compiled a strong .234/.364/.429 line (114 wRC+) as a rookie.
  • First-year Red Sox pitching coach Dave Bush sat down for a Q&A with Jen McCaffrey of the Athletic. He explains that the organization reached out to him to replace Dana LeVangie, rather than his ardently pursuing the position. That should ensure some continuity on the pitching side, as Bush has spent the past three seasons in Boston’s player development department. The longtime Brewer reiterated that Chris Sale is back on a normal offseason program and praised new signee Martín Pérez’s reliability. He also hinted that the organization could further tinker with Pérez’s pitch mix in hopes of unlocking some upside. A new cutter helped Pérez jump off to a fast start in 2019 with the Twins, but a brutal second half led Minnesota to decline his team option.
  • The Tigers aren’t actively looking to move staff ace Matthew Boyd, who still has three years of team control remaining. With the free agent market for starting pitching drying up, however, it’s natural to wonder if the teams who lost out on the top hurlers could reengage the Tigers on one of baseball’s prime trade candidates. One such team is the Angels, who have added Dylan Bundy and Julio Teheran to their rotation, but still have room to upgrade. The club is monitoring the trade market, Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com tweeted Monday, but the Angels and Tigers haven’t had any recent discussions on Boyd. Of course, there’s ample time for the sides to recommence talks regarding the 28-year-old, who ranked 11th among starters (minimum 100 innings) in strikeout minus walk rate in 2019.

AL Notes: McCullers, Cron, Schoop, Orioles

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Lance McCullers Jr. has “been dying” to return to the mound, and “is ready for the season to start tomorrow if it could,” the Astros righty tells MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart.  Recovery from Tommy John surgery in November 2018 kept McCullers sidelined for all of last season, though he said he is on track for Spring Training and Opening Day after completing his rehab last month.  McCullers’ return will be a boost to an Astros rotation that has already lost Gerrit Cole and Wade Miley in free agency, and the 26-year-old is still looking to fully break out in what would be his fifth MLB season.  Injuries have limited the former 41st-overall pick to just 453 2/3 innings in his career, though McCullers has pitched well (3.67 ERA, 10.1 K/9, 2.86 K/BB rate) when healthy and has both an impressive postseason resume and an All-Star appearance to his name.

More Christmas Day notes from the American League…

  • Jonathan Schoop and C.J. Cron are both looking forward to new opportunities in the Motor City, as the two newest Tigers told reporters (including Chris McCosky of the Detroit News).  In Cron’s case, he said the Tigers “were on me from the beginning” after the first baseman was non-tendered by the Twins.  “The thing that stood out the most was just how much Detroit wanted me….They told my agent early on they wanted me to be a part of this thing and their persistence never stopped,” Cron said.  “Anytime somebody wants you that bad, it feels good and it made my interest higher and higher.”
  • Several Orioles questions are addressed by The Athletic’s Dan Connolly (subscription required) during a reader mailbag piece, including the issue of just how much financial support GM Mike Elias has at his disposal as he rebuilds the roster.  For example, Baltimore’s decision to trade Jonathan Villar to the Marlins for a fairly minimal prospect return created the impression that the O’s were more concerned with getting Villar’s $10.4MM projected arbitration salary off the books than they were in getting full value back for the talented infielder.  In Connolly’s view, “Elias’ hands are tied more than he would have preferred,” perhaps due to such factors as low attendance at Camden Yards and the likelihood that the Orioles will have to start more evenly sharing their MASN broadcast revenue with the Nationals.  It doesn’t seem that the O’s will be able to explore such tactics as offering to take a bad contract off another team’s hands if that team also includes some prospects in the trade.  That said, it isn’t as if the Orioles are running a total bare-bones operation — Connolly notes that ownership has invested in the Orioles’ infrastructure, giving Elias more modernized analytics and international scouting departments.

Top 25 Offseason Trade Candidates: Late-2019 Update

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Since our initial top-trade list of the offseason, we’ve seen a fair bit of activity on that front. Among those who were ranked or otherwise noted, the following ended up on the move: Omar Narvaez, Dylan Bundy, Corey Kluber, Nomar Mazara, Hunter Renfroe, Jurickson Profar, and Jake Marisnick. Now, with free agency humming along, we could see yet more significant players dealt.

This is an updated version of our list. The “methodology” is set forth in the original. It’s subjective; it’s debatable; and that’s what makes it fun.

1. Starling Marte, OF, Pirates (LR: 2): There’s not a full sense of urgency with Marte, who is under control for another season, but there’s a lot of demand in center and he’s a really nice fit for multiple teams. It still feels like some team will step up with a sufficient offer to get the Bucs to bite.

2. Ken Giles, RP, Blue Jays (LR: 1): The Jays have spent on new additions, but it still makes sense to shop a rental reliever in a market starved of high-end relief pitching. Perhaps the Toronto organization will seek MLB assets rather than far-away prospects; maybe the team will even hold Giles and re-assess at the trade deadline if the offers are insufficient.

3. Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians (LR: NR): It’s still not clear just how likely the Indians are to move their best player, but they did just trade Kluber and interest in Lindor has been both robust and persistent. He leaps to the top tier of this list based on his elite talent and the increasing plausibility of a deal.

4. Matthew Boyd, SP, Tigers (LR: 6): Several teams have yet to address their needs for starting pitching. With shell-shocking price tags on starters thus far, there’s added appeal in Boyd — a cost-efficient, controllable, durable starter with obvious upside.

5. Jackie Bradley Jr., OF, Red Sox (LR: 4): The market has been quiet, but it still stands to reason that the luxury-shaving Boston club will end up finding a taker for their solid center fielder.

6. Dominic Smith, 1B, Mets (LR: 8): Rumors on Smith haven’t exactly flown, but … where does he fit on the Mets roster? The club could really benefit from adding other pieces or freeing payroll space; moving Smith offers the readiest means to accomplish those tasks.

7. Josh Hader, RP, Brewers (LR: NR): It’s awfully tough to gauge the likelihood of a deal involving the star southpaw reliever. But we know the Brewers are at least listening. And the plausibility of a deal perhaps increased when the anticipated cost of his arbitration seasons went through the roof when he snuck in as a Super Two. It’ll take a haul, but there’s a lot of potential interest and Milwaukee front office hasn’t shied away from bold change.

8. David Price, SP, Red Sox (LR: NR): The veteran southpaw underperformed his peripherals last year and doesn’t look quite so expensive after the eye-popping pitching contracts we’ve seen of late. He’s due $32MM annually in each of the next three seasons. The Red Sox would have to eat some money, to be sure, but it’s easier now to imagine a deal coming together. And sending out Price would be the readiest way of clearing the books.

9. Robbie Ray, SP, Diamondbacks (LR: 7): At various times, we’ve seen strong hints that Ray very much is and very much isn’t available. Shrug. The Snakes are always open to high-value scenarios and will consider moving Ray. But if they’re serious about chasing down the Dodgers, they’ll have to sacrifice some amount of future upside to prioritize the present. Hanging onto a high-ceiling arm such as Ray, who could still be dealt mid-season or get a qualifying offer at season’s end, seems like a reasonable risk.

10-11. Kris Bryant, 3B/OF, Cubs & Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies (LR: 21, NR): There’s a lot of smoke surrounding the third base market. If nothing else, perhaps there are a few enterprising GMs somewhere in the cloud, laboring to spark the tinder that could grow into a raging bonfire. That’s … well, it’s an overwrought metaphor, but you know what we mean. Anthony Rendon and Mike Moustakas are already signed. There are a lot of teams chasing Josh Donaldson. Those that miss could make serious runs at Bryant and Arenado, two of the game’s very best overall players over the past several seasons.

12. Chris Archer, SP, Pirates (LR: 10): Have we mentioned the price of pitching? The Bucs don’t need to move Archer, but this might be an opportune moment. He’s only going to cost $20MM over the next two years, more than half of which isn’t even guaranteed (relevant in the event that he tanks or is hurt in 2020).

13. J.A. Happ, SP, Yankees (LR: NR): The Yanks’ intentions regarding Happ aren’t entirely clear, but rumors have indicated he’s plenty available. And it stands to reason he would be, since he comes with a big luxury tax hit — $17MM, which is also the price of his 2020 salary — and really doesn’t seem a necessary piece of the pitching puzzle in New York.

14. Keone Kela, RP, Pirates (LR: 13): It’s certainly possible the Bucs will prefer not to sell low on Kela, who’s only owed a projected $3.4MM in his final season of arbitration eligibility. But that could add to the degree of difficulty of the team’s much-needed clubhouse improvement effort. And while there’s upside in holding out for a trade deadline deal, there’s also a risk of getting nothing back.

15. Clint Frazier, OF, Yankees (LR: 9): A few factors have conspired to move down the likelihood of a Frazier swap. The Yankees have spent big on pitching rather than using the trade market to address those needs. The early-season absence of Aaron Hicks leaves more room in the outfield. And the 26th roster spot makes it easier to fit Frazier even with a plethora of other position-player options. There are still scenarios where Frazier, Miguel Andujar, or some other player ends up on the move before the start of the season, but it’s also not hard to see the logic in hanging onto the full slate of bats to open the year with a plan to adapt as things play out.

16. Brad Hand, RP, Indians (LR: NR): This is speculative, as we haven’t seen Hand appear in rumors as a trade candidate. But if the Cleveland organization is willing to hold discussions regarding Lindor, it can’t hang up on callers asking about Hand. The southpaw closer is earning $7MM this year with a $10MM option for 2021, making him a cost-efficient target who’d greatly improve any bullpen in baseball.

17. Wil Myers, OF, Padres (LR: NR): No question about it: this contract is under water. Myers is owed $20MM annually through 2022 (plus a $1MM buyout on an option year). His play hasn’t justified that kind of salary. But the Friars are said to be a bit over budget at the moment and are surely still looking to improve their roster in a season in which they have to make real strides. Structuring a deal involving Myers could be a key part of the puzzle.

18-19. Josh Bell, 1B & Adam Frazier, UTIL, Pirates (LR: 14, NR): We didn’t include Frazier in our last list, but reports indicate he’s getting plenty of interest from other organizations. A versatile defender who has had good overall success against right-handed pitching, Frazier would fit a lot of rosters. It’s also not strictly clear how much trade value the market will reward him. Bell would be valued highly, but it’d be much harder for the Pirates to part with him, even if he didn’t sustain his superstar first half effort in 2019. In both cases, the Pittsburgh organization will want to be wowed to make a deal, but must be open to the possibility.

20-22. Mychal Givens, RP, Orioles; Joe Jimenez, RP, Tigers; Tim Hill, RP, Royals (LR: 15, 16, NR): As with our first list, these relievers stand out as guys that don’t have to be dealt but surely are available for the right price. Hill joins the list after being cited as a target of several contenders. The southpaw offers plenty of cheap control to the Kansas City organization but is already 29 years of age. He carried big groundball numbers last year while also showing an ability to get strikeouts against righties. Givens is the best established of this group, though he’s coming off of a forgettable 2019 season. As for Jimenez, the Tigers will likely remain patient given the lengthy control rights remaining, but the club ought to pursue trade scenarios if there’s serious interest.

23. Willson Contreras, C, Cubs (LR: 23): So if the Cubbies are likely to move one significant player as part of their promised reshuffling, and it doesn’t turn out to be Bryant … one would expect to see Contreras on the move. Then again, cash-strapped though it may be, the Chicago front office can’t just go dumping Contreras for any old return. It’s still possible the Cubs will have a rather wild or a totally tame overall offseason once the dust settle.

24. Mookie Betts, OF, Red Sox (LR: 20): It’s tough to guess the odds of a move involving one of the game’s greatest players. It seems low, but there are some intriguing possibilities. New chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom came up with the Rays, who routinely spin off their best players as they near free agency. Might the Dodgers turn to a full-court press on Betts if they miss on other targets? Could some other team see a chance at vaulting past their rivals in one fell swoop? There has been much talk about how Betts may not be all that valuable on a one-year deal that’s likely to approach $30MM. Well … what about the rarity of the opportunity to rent a mid-prime, ~6-7+ WAR player without promising him gobs of money into his late thirties? There’s immense appeal to that as well.

25. James McCann, C, White Sox (LR: NR): The South Siders have put out word that they like the idea of carrying McCann along with Yasmani Grandal. There’s some sense in that, to be sure, as the former can reduce the load on the latter, who can also line up at designated hitter or first base. But if the White Sox end up adding another significant bat to go with Jose Abreu in the 1B/DH mix, as they’re rumored to be exploring, then the arrangement would seem decidedly less functional. In that event, working out a deal involving McCann might work for all involved. He’d get a better playing time situation, the White Sox could address other needs (either directly or by adding to the club’s prospect/payroll pool), and another organization would find a way to fill a void in a market that has moved quickly on catchers.

Others To Consider

Premium multi-year targets: Andrew Benintendi, OF, Red Sox; Mike Clevinger, SP, Indians; Jon Gray, SP, Rockies; Trevor Story, SS, Rockies; Mitch Haniger, OF, Mariners; Trey Mancini, 1B/OF, Orioles; J.D. Martinez, DH/OF, Red Sox; Eduardo Rodriguez, SP, Red Sox; Whit Merrifield, UTIL, Royals; Corey Seager, SS, Dodgers

Rental targets: Marcus Semien, SS, Athletics; Kirby Yates, RP, Padres; Ian Kennedy, RP, Royals; Joc Pederson, OF, Dodgers; Josh Reddick, OF, Astros; Jeff Samardzija, SP, Giants; Carlos Santana, 1B, Indians

Younger players with multi-year control: Kyle Schwarber, OF, Cubs; Johan Camargo, INF, Braves; J.D. Davis, INF/OF, Mets; Steven Matz, SP, Mets; Niko Goodrum, INF/OF, Tigers; Austin Hedges, C, Padres; Ender Inciarte, OF, Braves; Manuel Margot, OF, Padres; Albert Almora Jr., OF, Cubs; Mallex Smith, OF, Mariners; Michael A. Taylor, OF, Nationals; Jose Urena, SP/RP, Marlins; Caleb Smith, SP, Marlins; Tyler Mahle, SP, Reds; Brad Keller, SP, Royals; Abraham Toro, Astros; Joe Musgrove, SP, Pirates 

Veterans on expensive, multi-year contracts: Brandon Belt, 1B, Giants; Matt Carpenter, 3B/1B, Cardinals; Brandon Crawford, SS, Giants; Wade Davis, RP, Rockies; Ian Desmond, OF/IF, Rockies; Charlie Blackmon, OF, Rockies; Dexter Fowler, OF, Cardinals; Dee Gordon, 2B, Mariners; Evan Longoria, 3B, Giants; Jake McGee, RP, Rockies; Bryan Shaw, RP, Rockies; A.J. Pollock, OF, Dodgers; Jed Lowrie, INF, Mets; Kyle Seager, 3B, Mariners

Athletics Reach Deal To Acquire Share Of Coliseum Site

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The Athletics have reached a major milestone in their never-easy effort to procure a new ballpark. Alameda County has formally approved an agreement to transfer its share of the Coliseum site to the team, Sarah Ravani of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Once fully finalized, this deal will constitute the foundation for one of the two major pillars of the A’s stadium plan. With partial ownership of the sprawling Coliseum site, the team can begin pursuing a redevelopment plan for its current home. That effort would coincide with and support the construction of a new playing facility at Howard Terminal.

With so many balls in the air at one time, this represents a major step. A’s CEO Dave Kaval labels it “a big deal.” Ravani, who has covered this matter exhaustively, says the agreement’s culmination “all but secur[es] the baseball team’s future in the East Bay.”

The Coliseum sale was the result the county and team clearly preferred, so in that sense it isn’t surprising. But the proposed deal had run into major headwinds — namely, opposition from the city of Oakland, which co-owns the site. Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf indicated that the municipality is now on board.

This won’t end the interactions between the city and team — far from it. In addition to working through the complicated undertaking of constructing a new waterfront ballpark, the sides will now have to decide how to proceed on the Coliseum site redevelopment plan. Kaval says “the ball is in [the city’s] court” as to whether to negotiate a sale of the public’s interest or partner on the project.

Plenty of details remain to be sorted. And it’s far too soon to rule out further roadblocks, particularly given the prior course of this effort. All things considered, though, this news marks the clearest indication yet that the A’s will stay put.

Poll: Which Sub-.500 AL Team’s Having The Best Offseason?

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The Blue Jays, White Sox, Rangers and Angels each entered the winter amid multiyear playoff droughts and on the heels of sub-.500 showings in 2019. No one from that American League quartet has been a sorrier bunch for longer than the White Sox, owners of an 11-year postseason-less skid. The Blue Jays, Rangers and Angels have at least been relevant more recently than Chicago, but success has still escaped those other clubs for far too long. However, judging by the teams’ actions in the past weeks, they’ve had their fill of serving as doormats in their league. The offseason has gotten off to rollicking starts for all of these franchises, each of which has made more than one significant addition since the floodgates opened in November.

The Angels, they of the pitiful 72-90 record last season, finally look as if they’re in decent position to capitalize on all-world center fielder Mike Trout’s presence. They added the foremost position player on the market, third baseman Anthony Rendon, on a whopper of a contract worth $245MM over seven years. The rotation-needy Halos have also picked up a pair of starters in Dylan Bundy and Julio Teheran. Neither will be confused for an ace, but they should give the team much-needed competent innings at reasonable prices near the back of its rotation. If you’re a glass-half-empty type, though, you may be unimpressed by the Angels’ lack of a front-line starter pickup (though the return of Shohei Ohtani from Tommy John surgery should be a major help) and/or that they haven’t addressed their problems at catcher yet.

The White Sox, also coming off a 72-win season, have been extremely busy in upgrading their lineup. Their offense produced the third-fewest runs in the AL, but that should change for the better in a year with the signing of star catcher Yasmani Grandal (four years, $73MM). The White Sox also helped their cause by retaining first baseman/designated hitter Jose Abreu (three years, $50MM), and they’re clinging to hope that 24-year-old outfielder Nomar Mazara (acquired from Texas) will start living up to his immense promise now that he has changed teams. Even with those three in tow, the White Sox might not be done yet on the offensive end. They’re reportedly at the forefront of the sweepstakes for Edwin Encarnacion, yet another slugging 1B/DH, and remain in the mix for outfielder Nicholas Castellanos – possibly the second-best position player left in free agency.

Of course, upgrading at the plate hasn’t been Chicago’s sole focus. The White Sox made a large splash on the pitching side last weekend when they agreed to sign former Cy Young-winning southpaw Dallas Keuchel for three years and $55.5MM. He followed the much more modestly priced Gio Gonzalez as the second accomplished lefty the team signed for its rotation. With those two, ace Lucas Giolito, the high-upside Reynaldo Lopez–Dylan Cease–Michael Kopech trio, and (once he returns from Tommy John surgery) Carlos Rodon, the club actually has plenty to look forward to with regards to its starting staff.

The same can be said for the Blue Jays and Rangers, who have each spent the majority of the offseason bettering their rotations. Toronto, a lowly 67-95 last season, just took a four-year, $80MM gamble on ex-Dodger Hyun-Jin Ryu. After offering elite production in his final year as a Dodger, Ryu’s in line to lead a Jays staff that will also consist of fellow new additions Tanner Roark, Chase Anderson, Matt Shoemaker (returning from a torn ACL) and perhaps some combination of ex-Japanese star Shun Yamaguchi (yet another just-signed hurler), Trent Thornton, Jacob Waguespack, Ryan Borucki, Anthony Kay and stud prospect Nate Pearson. Unlike late last season, after the Jays traded two vet starters (Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez) and their rotation was a barren wasteland, possibilities abound.

On the offensive side, the Jays replaced departed first baseman Justin Smoak (now a Brewer) with ex-Brewer Travis Shaw in the corner infield. It’s hard to see that as an upgrade on paper, though, after the woeful 2019 Shaw had. But for one year and $4MM, it’ll look brilliant if Shaw returns anywhere near the 3.0-WAR production he managed from 2017-18.

As for Texas, this offseason looks like a bit of a mixed bag. The Rangers have not added at third base or catcher, two positions that still look iffy, even though they partook in the Rendon derby and have also been part of Josh Donaldson’s market. On the other hand, their rotation looks far superior to the 2019 group that got very little outside of the Mike Minor–Lance Lynn duo and played a key role in a 78-84 finish. Those two are back, while two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber (acquired from the Indians), Kyle Gibson (three years, $28MM) and Jordan Lyles (two years, $16MM) will round out the quintet. For the first time in a while, it’s fair to say the Rangers’ rotation looks strong one through five.

All of these clubs have been extraordinarily active as they seek ways to move past their longstanding struggles in 2020. In your opinion, though, which has enjoyed the best offseason so far?

(Poll link for app users)

Hank Conger Joins Coaching Staff Of KBO’s Lotte Giants

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Former Angels, Astros and Rays catcher Hank Conger will serve as the new catching coach for the Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization, per Jee-ho Yoo of South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. It doesn’t appear that Conger has formally announced his retirement as a player, but the move to a coaching capacity puts an end to his playing days for the time being.

Conger, 32 next month, was born in Washington and went to high school in California but is of Korean descent. He played in parts of seven seasons between the Angels, Astros and Rays organizations, recording a .221/.294/.366 batting line over the life of 373 MLB games (1134 plate appearances). Conger also saw action in parts of five Triple-A campaigns but hasn’t appeared in affiliated ball since the 2017 season, which he spent with the D-backs’ Triple-A affiliate.

Conger was perhaps MLB’s premier pitch framer in 2013-14, and Yoo notes that his new team acquired 25-year-old backstop Seong-jun Ji via an offseason trade. The hope seems to be that Conger can aid in his development behind the plate as he steps into a starter’s role for the first time in his career.

Mets Sign Dellin Betances

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The Mets gave their fans a pleasant holiday surprise, announcing Tuesday that they’ve agreed to a one-year contract with free-agent right-hander Dellin Betances. The Excel Sports client will reportedly be guaranteed $10.5MM and secure a player option for the 2021 season in addition to  a vesting player option for the 2022 campaign.

Dellin Betances MLBTR

The contract is said to promise Betances a $7.5MM salary in 2020, and his player option is valued at $6MM with a $3MM buyout. However, he’ll have the opportunity to boost the value of that option and the potential 2022 option as well.

Specifically, the value of the 2020 option will escalate by $800K when Betances pitches in his 40th game in 2020. It’ll increase by an additional $1MM upon reaching each of 50, 60 and 70 games. As for the second player option, it would vest if Betances exercises the first player option and then appears in 50 games in 2021 — but only at a $1MM base. If Betances appears in 60 games, that base would jump to $2MM (with a $1MM buyout). It’d further increase to $3MM ($1MM buyout) by appearing in 70 games in 2021.

Generally speaking, the base values of Betances’ player options make it unlikely that he’ll be tempted to opt into the additional years of the contract unless he incurs an injury that would pretty severely hinder his earning power. In the event that Betances declines his initial player option at the end of the 2020 campaign, the Mets would have the opportunity to issue him a qualifying offer.

Betances, 32 in March, made four consecutive All-Star teams beginning with the 2014 season and was one of baseball’s most dominant ’pen options from 2014-18 while with the Yankees. Over that span of five years, the New York City native pitched to a pristine 2.22 ERA with a gaudy 14.6 K/9 mark against 3.9 BB/9. Despite pitching his home games in the launching pad that is Yankee Stadium, he averaged just 0.6 HR/9 in that time as well.

The stars looked to be aligning for Betances to cash in on a massive free-agent payday as a result of that half decade of dominance, but a shoulder impingement in Spring Training ultimately wiped out five months of Betances’ 2019 season. And when he was finally healthy enough to return, Betances suffered a partial tear of his left Achilles tendon in his first (and only) appearance of the season.

Those injuries notwithstanding, Betances entered the winter considered to be one of the best bounceback candidates on the free-agent market. Few, if any available relievers can match the upside that he brings to the table. His health troubles surely wiped out the possibility of a substantial three- or even four-year arrangement, but on a short-term pact, Betances has the potential to be one of the winter’s best bargains.

The Mets’ bullpen now features three relievers who, as recently as 2018, were widely considered to be among the game’s elite: Betances, Edwin Diaz and (perhaps to a lesser extent) Jeurys Familia. All three are in dire need of a rebound, but if that trio can come anywhere close to approximating the value it produced back in ’18, the Mets’ relief unit will be an overwhelming strength.

Righty Seth Lugo will give rookie manager Carlos Beltran a fourth high-end option, as he’s coming off a terrific 2.70 ERA and a 104-to-16 K/BB ratio through 80 innings of relief work himself. Lefty Justin Wilson, too, had a strong season — albeit in a more specialized role. Righties Brad Brach, Robert Gsellman and Michael Wacha are currently in line to round out what now looks like an experienced and potentially excellent Mets bullpen.

It wasn’t long ago that the Mets’ 2020 payroll looked to be up against ownership’s comfort threshold, but the recent restructuring of the final year of Yoenis Cespedes’ four-year contract surely gave the club some additional spending capacity. That grievance left the Mets with an additional $18.75MM in resources with which to work — an unexpected development that undoubtedly played a major role in paving the way for this deal.

Andy Martino of SNY first reported the deal (via Twitter). MLB Network’s Jon Heyman added that it was a one-year deal. ESPN’s Jeff Passan tweeted that Betances received two player options. Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter links) and Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (Twitter link) added details on the option structures and incentives packages.

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