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Pitcher Notes: Minor, Mets, Phils, Kimbrel, Cards, Hand, Astros

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The Mets and Phillies are among the teams that have gone after Rangers left-hander Mike Minor this offseason, though the former is on his 10-team no-trade list, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). It may be a moot point anyway, as the Mets’ pursuit of Minor has reportedly “stalled” because of the Rangers’ asking price. The Phillies, meanwhile, would give Minor a chance to win a starting job in the spring, according to Zolecki, though he adds that they also like his ability to work out of the bullpen. If the Phillies miss out on free agent Zach Britton, whom they’ve been chasing throughout the offseason, they could acquire Minor and use him to fill their need for a left-handed reliever.

  • Whether the Phillies will add another righty to their bullpen is up in the air, but it won’t be free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel unless his price comes down, Zolecki reports. However, if Kimbrel sits on the market for a while longer and becomes more willing to accepting a three- or four-year offer, it’s possible the Phillies could strike, Zolecki suggests. That’s what happened last offseason when they reeled in starter Jake Arrieta on a three-year, $75MM pact – far lower than what he wanted entering the winter – a few weeks before he 2018 campaign started.
  • In signing southpaw Andrew Miller on Friday, the Cardinals fulfilled their desire to pick up a lefty reliever this winter. Before nabbing Miller, though, they contacted the Indians regarding Brad Hand, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The Indians’ asking price for Hand was presumably too high, however, given his star-level production from 2016-18, team-friendly contract and what they surrendered for him last July. Just five months ago, Cleveland sent elite prospect Francisco Mejia to San Diego for Hand and fellow reliever Adam Cimber.
  • Don’t expect the Astros to look for a reliever in response to righty Joe Smith’s injury, according to president Jeff Luhnow (via Mark Feinsand of MLB.com). “Losing Joe is a blow, but I don’t think it requires us to go out and get another late-inning reliever. We’re going to have enough good arms in the bullpen to do what we need to do,” Luhnow said regarding Smith, who will miss six to eight months after undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured left Achilles. Luhnow’s stance is understandable – even with Smith on the shelf, Houston’s bullpen will continue to boast a slew of proven righties in Roberto Osuna, Chris Devenski, Ryan Pressly, Hector Rondon, Will Harris and Brad Peacock.

Minor MLB Transactions: 12/23/18

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The latest minor moves from around baseball:

  • Veteran right-hander Steve Johnson, 31, announced his retirement Friday on Instagram (hat tip to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com), ending a pro career that began when the Dodgers used a 13th-round pick on him in 2005. Johnson never got past the Double-A level with the Dodgers, though the Baltimore native eventually reached the majors with his hometown Orioles. The O’s selected Johnson in the 2009 Rule 5 Draft, and he went on to amass 59 1/3 innings with the club from 2012-15. Johnson added another 16 2/3 frames with the Mariners in 2016, the last time he appeared in the bigs. In total, Johnson tossed 76 innings of 4.26 ERA ball with 10.2 K/9 and 5.6 BB/9 at the game’s highest level. He wrapped up his career last season with Lancaster of the independent Atlantic League.
  • The Cubs have signed left-hander Mike Zagurski to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league camp, Jerry Crasnick reports. The 35-year-old spent last season with the division-rival Brewers, though he only threw one big league inning – a disastrous frame in which he yielded seven earned runs. But Zagurski did thrive as a member of the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate in hitter-friendly Colorado Springs, with which he posted a 3.20 ERA, 13.2 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 45 innings. Zagurski has held his own in Triple-A with a few organizations, evidenced by his 2.84 ERA, 12.3 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 over 294 1/3 frames. However, Zagurski has had a horrid time across 76 1/3 MLB innings with the Brewers, Philles, Diamondbacks, Yankees and Pirates, having logged a 7.78 ERA with 9.08 K/9 and 5.66 BB/9.

Heyman’s Latest: Yanks, Andujar, Padres, Kimbrel, BoSox, Reds, Fish, J.T., Mets

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Third base help is reportedly atop the Padres’ wish list, and the Yankees’ Miguel Andujar is among their targets, according to Jon Heyman of Fancred. The Padres “love” the 23-year-old, per Heyman, but it’s unclear whether they’ve made a legitimate attempt to acquire him. Although he turned in a near-AL Rookie of the Year season in 2018, in which he slashed .297/.328/.527 with 27 home runs in 606 plate appearances, Andujar struggled mightily as a defender. While Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has consistently praised Andujar and brushed off concerns about his defense, the player has nonetheless been a prominent part of the rumor mill this winter. If the Yankees do move Andujar, whom they could replace with free-agent superstar Manny Machado, it’s fair to surmise it’ll be for a player(s) capable of immediately upgrading the title contenders’ roster.

Here’s more from Heyman’s latest smorgasbord of notes:

  • Free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel was reportedly seeking a $100MM-plus contract as of earlier this month, though it’s “believed” he has dropped his price, Heyman writes. According to Heyman, the 30-year-old Kimbrel has gone down to $86MM – the same value of the five-year deal the Yankees gave Aroldis Chapman in 2016. Chapman’s contract remains the richest ever for a reliever, and given Kimbrel’s production to date, it’s unsurprising he’s aiming to match or exceed it. Also unsurprising: Kimbrel’s price is still too rich for the Red Sox’s blood, Heyman hears, suggesting they may be willing to go to four years and $60MM to $70MM.
  • The Reds made right-hander Lance Lynn an offer when he was on the market, Heyman relays. However, they didn’t come close to signing Lynn, who joined the Rangers on a three-year, $30MM guarantee on Dec. 18. The Reds addressed their rotation prior to then by acquiring Tanner Roark from the Nationals and did so again Friday, picking up Alex Wood from the Dodgers. The club has also pursued Yankees righty Sonny Gray this offseason, but New York’s seeking Double-A and Triple-A pitchers Cincinnati doesn’t want to trade, per Heyman. Meanwhile, in Cincy’s talks with Miami regarding star catcher J.T. Realmuto, Heyman writes that the Marlins’ focus has been on Nick Senzel, Taylor Trammell, Hunter Greene and Jonathan India – the Reds’ top four prospects at MLB.com.
  • Mets righty Seth Lugo has changed representation and hired the Ballengee Group, Heyman reports. The 29-year-old Lugo, who won’t be eligible for arbitration until next winter, was a rare bright spot for the Mets’ bullpen in 2018. Across 101 1/3 innings (78 1/3 in relief), Lugo managed a 2.66 ERA with 9.15 K/9, 2.49 BB/9 and a 46.5 percent groundball rate.

Rays Sign Charlie Morton

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DECEMBER 23: The value of Morton’s option will drop to $10MM if he spends 31 to 90 days on the DL by the end of 2020, $5MM for 91 to 150 days, $3MM for 151 to 200 days and $1MM for more than 200, Heyman tweets.

DECEMBER 21: This signing is now official.

DECEMBER 12, 10:57pm: The vesting option has quite a bit of flexibility, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (Twitter links). If he’s on the DL for less than thirty days over the two guaranteed seasons, it’ll remain at $15MM. Otherwise, it could land at $10MM, $5MM, $3MM or $1MM, depending upon how many days he’s sidelined.

4:39pm: Morton will receive consecutive $15MM salaries, per Jon Heyman of Fancred (via Twitter). The deal includes assignment bonuses if Morton is traded, valued at $1MM in 2019 and $500K in 2020.

3:03pm: The Rays are in agreement on a deal with right-hander Charlie Morton, according to MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi (Twitter link).  Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported earlier today that Morton and the Rays were close to a deal, and also first reported on the interest between the two sides earlier this week.

Morton, a client of Jet Sports Management, will earn $30MM over the two-year contract, as per Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan.  The deal also contains an option for the 2021 season that could be worth as much as $15MM if Morton remains healthy, though could also be as low as $1MM should Morton suffer a significant injury over the course of the initial two years.  MLBTR’s ranked Morton 14th on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents and projected Morton for a two-year, $32MM commitment, so he could greatly surpass that figure should that option year be exercised at the full amount.

Charlie Morton

Though $30MM in guaranteed money isn’t a huge sum by most free agent standards, it counts as a major splurge by the low-spending Rays, though the club was able to account for the extra expenditure after a season that saw them clear millions off the books in long-term commitments.  Even better for the Rays, they were able to slash payroll while still fielding their most competitive team in years, boasting a young roster that won 90 games in 2018.  That progress left Tampa willing to spend a little extra in the hopes of making a full push towards a postseason berth next season.

The 35-year-old Morton has enjoyed a late-career awakening since coming to the Astros prior to the 2017 season and employing a new pitching philosophy that focused more on strikeouts and generating more velocity.  The veteran has a 3.36 ERA, 10.4 K/9, and 3.19 K/BB rate over 313 2/3 innings in a Houston uniform, a stint that has included a key role in the Astros’ 2017 World Series championship and Morton’s first career All-Star berth in 2018.  The veteran has posted 6.3 fWAR over the last two years, as opposed to 7.8 fWAR over the first nine seasons with the Braves, Pirates, and Phillies.

The Astros didn’t issue a one-year qualifying offer to Morton, though they did offer the hurler a one-year contract with an option on a second year.  The Rangers were another known suitor, and one would assume that several other clubs had interest in Morton given his recent success and the fact that he could be signed to a shorter-term deal.  Morton had given the impression that he could retire soon and wasn’t in search of a long-term commitment, though it seems he’ll put on the spikes for at least two more seasons.  Morton had also expressed an interest in either a return to Houston or joining a team located closer to his wife’s family in Delaware, so the Rays’ east coast locale might’ve been something of a factor, even if Tampa Bay and Delaware aren’t exactly in close proximity.

Morton now joins AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow as the only three conventional starters in the Rays rotation, as manager Kevin Cash has said that the team will continue to use an “opener” at least twice during every turn of the rotation.  Though the Rays used openers very regularly in 2018 (even on a near-daily basis over the summer while Snell was on the DL), adding a veteran arm like Morton to cover innings provides some extra cushion for the relief corps as it prepares for another significant workload.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Rangers Notes: Davidson, Profar, Minor

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A few rumblings out of Arlington, courtesy of Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News:

  • Over the past month, the Rangers have lost starting third baseman Adrian Beltre to retirement and traded the legend’s potential successor, Jurickson Profar, to the Athletics. While the Rangers have acquired third base possibilities in Patrick Wisdom and Nolan Fontana during the same span, neither is an established major leaguer. Further, neither power-hitting corner infielder/outfielder Joey Gallo nor catcher Isiah Kiner-Falefa will line up at third, general manager Jon Daniels suggested Friday. As such, the rebuilding club plans to add infield help prior to next season, reports Grant, who lists free agents Matt Davidson and Yangervis Solarte as potential options. Texas has shown interest in Davidson since the White Sox non-tendered him last month, according to Grant, but it seems the connection to Solarte is more speculative in nature. Texas is already familiar with Solarte – whom the Blue Jays non-tendered this offseason – as the team signed him to a minor league contract in 2011. Solarte went on to play the 2012 and ’13 seasons with the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate, though he never cracked their major league lineup.
  • The Rangers did approach Profar’s camp regarding a contract extension at some point, per Grant, who adds that talks “went nowhere.” The Rangers’ choice to not recall Profar from the minors when rosters expanded in September 2017 may have hurt their chances to keep him for the long haul, Grant observes. The decision gained the Rangers another year of control over Profar, but it likely didn’t sit well with agent Scott Boras.
  • The Rangers are in farm-building mode, which figures to make left-hander Mike Minor the next veteran to depart via trade, Grant writes. It seems the plan is to deal Minor for prospects and then replace him with a similarly priced free agent – one the Rangers may be able to flip elsewhere during the season in order to acquire more youth. Minor, set to turn 31 on Dec. 26, has drawn reported interest from the Phillies, Brewers and Mets this winter. He gave the Rangers respectable production in 2018, his first season as a starter since 2014, and has a reasonable $19MM left on the final two years of his deal.

Latest On David Robertson’s Market

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10:15pm: There’s still “mutual interest” in a union between Robertson and the Red Sox, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com tweets. Boston is facing plenty of competition, though, as it’s one of “several” clubs vying for Robertson, per Feinsand.

9:21pm: There have been a handful of newsworthy bullpen signings over the past couple weeks, yet one of the majors’ most accomplished relievers – right-hander David Robertson – remains without a contract. While world champion Boston is among the teams that have shown interest in Robertson this offseason, the Red Sox believe they’re unlikely to reel in the longtime Yankee, George A. King III of the New York Post hears. That could be to the advantage of the Phillies, who are interested in Robertson, King reports.

Although it doesn’t appear the 33-year-old Robertson will join the BoSox, the fit is obvious. He’s a Rhode Island resident who’d like to remain in the Northeast, where he has spent most of his career, and the Red Sox have needs in their bullpen. They’ve already lost setup man Joe Kelly, who signed with the Dodgers, and could also see star closer Craig Kimbrel wave goodbye in free agency. Robertson is heavily experienced as both a setup man and a closer, and based on his outstanding track record of performance and durability, would be a good bet to step in with aplomb for either Kelly or Kimbrel. Nevertheless, Boston’s reportedly hesitant to offer Robertson more than a two-year deal – thus falling short of MLBTR’s three-year, $33MM prediction – and seems to be hoping for relievers’ prices to drop before committing to anyone.

Like the Red Sox, the Phillies would make sense for Robertson from a geographical standpoint. The Phillies could also stand to upgrade their bullpen, though they’ve mostly been connected to left-handed relievers on the rumor circuit. However, Philadelphia witnessed Andrew Miller come off the market Friday, when he signed with the Cardinals, possibly leaving it in “Zach Britton-or-bust” mode when it comes to lefty relievers.

Regardless of handedness, Britton or Robertson – the Yankees’ most noteworthy remaining free agents – would either give the Phillies a terrific setup man or a quality closer who’d bump the electrifying Seranthony Dominguez into a different role. Robertson wouldn’t provide the Phillies the southpaw they desire, but it’s worth noting he has been more dominant against left-handed hitters during his career, having held them to a pathetic .186/.267/.278 line while limiting righties to a weak .219/.302/.364 mark.

As for the Yankees, with both Robertson and Britton unsigned, they’re in the market for two relievers, King notes. It’s unclear how serious New York is about re-signing Robertson, but it is trying to outmaneuver the Phillies and other teams for Britton, Jon Heyman of Fancred reported this week.

Dodgers Seeking “Impact” Right-Handed Hitter

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Los Angeles has been a speculative landing spot for left-handed slugger Bryce Harper this offseason, but the Dodgers are currently focused on improving their group of righty-swingers. After trading away right-handed regulars Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp on Friday, it’s “likely” the club will pick up “an impact right-handed bat,” Jon Morosi of MLB.com writes. To that end, the Dodgers are actively pursuing a trade for a right-handed catcher and/or second baseman, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets, while Morosi adds that they could land an outfielder.

As a result of the departures of Puig and Kemp – not to mention the potential exits of Manny Machado, Yasmani Grandal and Brian Dozier in free agency – the Dodgers are currently sporting a lefty-heavy lineup. Their only projected starters who can hit from the right side are third baseman Justin Turner, infielder/outfielder Chris Taylor and catcher Austin Barnes, and the latter is coming off a miserable season at the plate. There’s certainly room for improvement, then, and as Morosi points out, the Dodgers have shown interest in a few established right-handed bats this offseason in Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, Tigers outfielder Nicholas Castellanos and free-agent second baseman DJ LeMahieu.

In Realmuto’s case, no team has been able to satisfy the rebuilding Marlins enough to pry the coveted backstop out of Miami. Meanwhile, despite Castellanos’ well-known defensive shortcomings and his lack of long-term control (he’s arbitration eligible for just one more year, at a projected $11.9MM), the non-contending Tigers have placed a “high” asking price on him, Morosi tweets. And, stellar 2016 season aside, LeMahieu may be closer to a mediocre hitter than a game-changer – as shown by the longtime Rockie’s lack of power (49 home runs, .108 ISO) and unspectacular wRC+ (90) across 3,799 major league plate appearances.

In addition to Grandal, Realmuto, Castellanos and LeMahieu, Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli, Cardinals first baseman/outfielder Jose Martinez and free-agent center fielder A.J. Pollock were each connected to LA before it shipped Puig and Kemp out of town. Anyone from that group would help the Dodgers in their quest to upgrade their right-handed attack at positions of need.

Speculatively speaking, there may be plenty of other righty-capable possibilities on the Dodgers’ radar. At least some of White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu, Mariners first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak, Marlins second baseman Starlin Castro, Padres corner outfielder/infielder Wil Myers and Yankees third baseman Miguel Andujar (who’d perhaps make sense at first or in the outfield for the Dodgers) may be logical targets for the club via trade. There are fewer formidable options in free agency, on the other hand, though utilityman Marwin Gonzalez and second baseman Jed Lowrie – a pair of switch-hitters – stand out as potential fits for LA.

While the Dodgers hope to assemble a more balanced lineup, they may ultimately eschew that plan if it means signing Harper, Morosi suggests. As far as this winter’s free-agent class goes, it’s debatable whether Harper is superior to Machado – a fellow 26-year-old superstar who’s also verging on a historic contract. Considering their positions, though, it seems Harper is a better match for LA’s roster, and he reportedly wants to sign with the back-to-back National League champions.

Angels, Brewers, Rangers Reportedly Interested In Dallas Keuchel

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The Angels, Brewers and Rangers join the previously reported Phillies as a few of the teams with interest in free-agent left-hander Dallas Keuchel, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

As a onetime American League Cy Young winner (2015) who ranks among the majors’ top 20 starters in ERA (3.28) and fWAR (18.2) since his breakout 2014 season, Keuchel entered the winter as the most accomplished rotation piece available. Nevertheless, the soon-to-be 31-year-old has gone without a contract for nearly two months, and has watched several other starters – including newly minted $100MM man Patrick Corbin – ink lucrative pacts.

Both Keuchel and agent Scott Boras are partly responsible for the hurler’s unemployed status, of course, as they’re reportedly seeking a five- to six-year deal worth big money. At the outset of the offseason, MLBTR predicted a four-year, $82MM pact for Keuchel, who, as a qualifying offer recipient, would cost a team more than just a major chunk of cash. Because Keuchel rejected the Astros’ QO, both the Angels and Rangers would give up their second-highest 2019 draft pick and $500K in international bonus pool space to sign him. The Brewers would face a lesser penalty, though, as they’d only have to surrender their third-highest draft choice.

Among Los Angeles, Milwaukee and Texas, the Brewers are arguably the best fit on paper for Keuchel. Milwaukee came within a game of a World Series berth in 2018, but it did so in spite of an uninspiring-looking rotation – one that has since seen Wade Miley reach free agency after a surprisingly effective campaign. The problem is that the Brewers might not have the payroll room to make a headline-grabbing splash on the open market. Meanwhile, having already added starters Matt Harvey and Trevor Cahill in free agency, the Angels may be done addressing their rotation this winter, as Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com suggested Thursday. And the Rangers, unlike the Brewers and Angels, are in a rebuild and aren’t targeting a playoff berth in 2019. As such, even though their rotation is in dire need of help, it may not make sense for the Rangers to fervently pursue a high-priced starter – excluding Japanese import Yusei Kikuchi, 27 – over the next year or two.

Indians Still Discussing Potential Corey Kluber Trades

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DEC. 22: The Dodgers remain in talks with the Indians regarding Kluber, Morosi reports. LA isn’t open to trading slugger Cody Bellinger for Kluber, though it’s “willing to discuss” young outfelder Alex Verdugo, per Morosi. Regardless, it’s unlikely a Kluber deal will come together with the Dodgers or anyone else prior to Christmas, Morosi tweets.

DEC. 19: The Indians are still holding discussions with rival organizations about star right-hander Corey Kluber, according to Jon Morosi of MLB.com (Twitter links). In particular, it seems the Reds are actively engaged with the Cleveland brass.

Needless to say, this isn’t the first we’ve heard of the Indians dangling a significant pitchers. Kluber and teammate Trevor Bauer have been in the rumor mill for much of the offseason.

Still, it’s significant to learn of ongoing talks, particularly since little has emerged on that front in the past weeks. The Indians’ strategy had been uncertain following a pair of contract-swapping moves — see here and here — that significantly reduced the team’s 2018 payroll. Easing the financial commitments, while staying ahead of an underwhelming pack in the AL Central, had been the seeming driving force behind the concept of dangling Kluber in the first place.

No doubt salary considerations will remain important, but the Indians surely have less pressure to pare costs. Parting with Kluber (or Bauer) will not be undertaken lightly. That explains the fact that, per Morosi, the Indians have asked about top Reds prospects Nick Senzel and Taylor Trammell in trade talks. Morosi himself had previously cast doubt on the possibility of a match between these clubs. The Reds, no doubt, are exceedingly hesitant to give up either of those two key young assets, though landing a controlled ace will necessarily sting.

A variety of other ballclubs remain engaged on Kluber, presumably. Morosi cites the Dodgers, Brewers, and Phillies as being “among the teams that have shown interest,” though it’s not clear whether that’s intended as an update on the current state of affairs or a glance back at the recent slate of rumors.

Mariners Sign Tyler Danish To Minor League Deal

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The Mariners have signed right-hander Tyler Danish to a minor league contract, per Jon Heyman of Fancred.

The 24-year-old Danish had been on the market since October, a month after the White Sox outrighted him. Chicago’s decision to cut Danish ended a relationship that began in 2013, when the club selected him in the second round of the draft. Danish ranked as one of the White Sox’s 10 best prospects at Baseball America through 2015, as he prevented runs at a solid rate at the lower levels of the minors. However, Danish has largely struggled in the upper minors and the majors, evidenced by a 4.47 ERA in 217 1/3 innings in Double-A and a 4.78 ERA across 239 1/3 Triple-A frames. He also tossed 13 innings as a member of the White Sox, with whom he surrendered seven earned runs on 17 hits and totaled more walks (13) than strikeouts (11).

Danish, to his credit, is coming off his best season in Triple-A ball. Working almost exclusively as a reliever (33 appearances, two starts), he posted a 3.01 ERA and a 50.2 percent groundball rate across 71 2/3 innings. At the same time, though, Danish only logged 6.66 K/9 against 3.52 BB/9, continuing a trend of unspectacular strikeout and walk numbers in the pros. Indeed, Danish has averaged fewer than six strikeouts per nine and upward of three walks a game in both Double-A and Triple-A.

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