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Michael Hill Under Contract With Marlins Through 2020

By Connor Byrne | July 10, 2017 at 6:12pm CDT

JULY 10: Hill’s contract was actually most recently extended about two years ago, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets. At that point, two years were added to his existing deal (making five in total) to take him through 2020.

JULY 5, 10:21pm: With Miami’s ownership situation up in the air, commissioner Rob Manfred has said that the team would need to consult with the league before a potential fire sale, tweets Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

8:13pm: Owner Jeffrey Loria is set to sell the Marlins, but he won’t leave without first taking care of his most trusted employees. That list includes president of baseball operations Michael Hill, whom Loria recently awarded a five-year, $10MM-plus extension, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today. There are also other Marlins executives with five-year agreements in place, Nightengale adds.

The Marlins are likely to sell for upward of $1.1 billion, so buying out front office employees’ contracts shouldn’t be a no-go for the team’s next ownership group if it’s so inclined. For now, the Hill-led franchise is ready to orchestrate a fire sale, per Nightengale, who writes that all of Miami’s players on multiyear contracts are available. At 37-45, the Marlins are well out of postseason contention and on their way to extending their playoff drought to 15 years. They haven’t finished over .500 in a season since 2009, when Hill was in his third season as their general manager. He took over as their president in 2013.

While Miami hasn’t fared well on the field, its off-field situation has also been disastrous. The Marlins are projected to lose $62MM this year, according to investors who have seen their books. They’re also approximately $500MM in debt, relays Nightengale, who notes that they have a major league-high $488MM in salary commitments. Moreover, they carry baseball’s lowest attendance rate and its least valuable television contract ($20MM per year through 2020). Those problems won’t be Loria’s for much longer, though.

“There are a lot of moving parts to this sale, no doubt, but it’s happening,’’ said Marlins president David Samson. “The timetable is the same. But it will be sold. It’s in the process right now.’’

In order to reduce the Marlins’ debt and make the franchise more appealing to buyers, Hill will work to jettison some of the team’s high-priced talent by the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. Right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, owed $295MM through 2028 (if he doesn’t opt out after 2020), easily possesses Miami’s most onerous contract. The 27-year-old has the right to block a trade to any team, which could be problematic if the Marlins do find a taker, but FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported Saturday that a Stanton deal isn’t as far-fetched as it may seem.

Aside from Stanton, the club’s big-money multiyear commitments include left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, outfielder Christian Yelich, third baseman Martin Prado, second baseman Dee Gordon, right-hander Edinson Volquez, and relievers Brad Ziegler and Junichi Tazawa.

After the season, Chen will be able to opt out of the five-year, $80MM deal he signed with the Marlins before the 2016 campaign. That’s not going to happen, though, and nor is dumping Chen’s salary via trade. In his year-plus with the Marlins, Chen has underperformed and dealt with elbow injuries, the latest of which has kept him off the mound since May 1. The Marlins could also have a hard time moving Ziegler and Tazawa, both of whom have flopped in the first season of their two-year contracts. The 37-year-old Ziegler is on a $7MM salary this season and will rake in another $9MM in 2018. Tazawa, 31, is making $5MM now and due another $7MM in 2018.

Meanwhile, Prado (in the first season of a three-year, $40MM contract), Gordon (in Year 2 of a five-year, $50.5MM pact) and Volquez (in the first season of a two-year, $22MM accord) are realistic trade candidates, though Yelich is the one Marlin on a multiyear contract who could actually bring back a major return. By his standards, the 25-year-old is having a down campaign (.275/.356/.397 in 349 plate appearances), but he’s still a valuable commodity and has been a four-WAR player in two of his three full seasons. He comes with a highly appealing contract and plenty of team control, having inked a seven-year, $49.57MM deal that began in 2015. The pact also carries a $15MM club option or a $1.25MM buyout for 2022.

Elsewhere on the Marlins’ roster, they have several arbitration-eligible players they could cut ties with in the coming weeks. Those include outfielder Marcell Ozuna, who, like Yelich, would net a return that would help the Marlins significantly improve their bottom-of-the-barrel farm system. The big-hitting Ozuna, 26, is collecting $3.5MM this season and is scheduled to make two more trips through arbitration. Controllable and reasonably priced through 2018, relievers AJ Ramos ($6.55MM) and David Phelps ($4.6MM) are also among Marlins who should have some trade value.

White Sox Maintain High Asking Price On Quintana

By Jeff Todd | July 10, 2017 at 5:37pm CDT

The White Sox remain undeterred in seeking to obtain a big haul for sturdy lefty Jose Quintana, according to a report from Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. With three years of affordable control remaining after the current season, the rebuilding organization probably doesn’t need to deal Quintana this summer.

To this point, the team has stood on that notable piece of leverage, continuing to ask for “two very top prospects” in its conversations with interested rivals. The South Siders have pressed the Astros for Francis Martes and Kyle Tucker, while asking the Yankees to headline a deal with either Gleyber Torres or Clint Frazier.

That strategy seemed in danger of backfiring earlier this year, as Quintana stumbled out of the gates. But the 28-year-old has righted the ship of late, perhaps restoring any lost shine.

Quintana has thrown only 104 1/3 frames over 18 starts, putting him shy of a 200-inning pace, though he has yet to exhibit any health issues. (More broadly, durability is one of the lefty’s chief attributes.) His 15.5% K%-BB% is a near-exact match for the numbers he carried over the prior three campaigns. A rise in home runs allowed (1.21 per nine) is perhaps the largest single factor differentiating Quintana’s current campaign from the five strong seasons that came before.

If teams buy into the improved form Quintana has shown since the start of June — 45 strikeouts and just 12 earned runs over forty frames — then perhaps they’ll be willing to meet the steep asking price. Then again, his less-than-dominant form over the course of the current season raises yet more questions about just how hard contenders should push to get him.

For the Astros, Heyman notes, Quintana may not really be as impactful an arm as the team would prefer to acquire. That makes sense: Houston is running off with the AL West and has many quality rotation options, but would love to add a true lock-down starter to the top of its staff.

In fact, the ’Stros have gone so far as to ask the Mets about star righty Jacob deGrom, per the report. (Tom Verducci of SI.com had previously reported some level of interest.) He’d likely be a more impactful addition, though there’s still no reason to think the Mets have any interest in even considering a deal.

As it stands, teams like the Astros and Yankees are continuing to “look around for alternatives,” per the report. But the lack of obviously available pitchers of comparable or better quality — with the exception, it seems, of Sonny Gray — represents another key element of the White Sox’ bargaining position. Just how things will turn out remains to be seen, but to this point the long standoff continues.

AL West Notes: Trout, Rangers, Mariners, A’s

By Steve Adams | July 10, 2017 at 3:14pm CDT

After 39 games away from the team, Mike Trout is set to rejoin the Angels on Friday, per Tim Mead of the Angels’ public relations department (Twitter link). Via C.J. Daft of the Orange County Register, Trout proclaimed himself “ready to play” in the Majors following a fifth rehab game on Sunday. The Angels, incredibly, went 19-20 without Trout in the lineup, maintaining virtually the same pace at which they played when he was healthy. (Anaheim was 26-27 when Trout upon completion of the last game in which Trout played.) His return will be a boon to an Angels club that remains in the thick of the race for one of two American League Wild Card slots, though the division is effectively out of reach. Houston entered the break with a 60-29 record and is 16.5 games up over the second-place Angels.

Trade Market For Catchers

By Steve Adams | July 10, 2017 at 1:19pm CDT

There aren’t many contending clubs with a clearly defined need behind the plate, though injuries over the next three weeks could obviously impact that thinking. Beyond that, some teams may simply covet a better backup option to their current starter, while others yet may simply look to do some long-term shopping now, even if they’re not clearly in the mix for a postseason spot. Here’s a look at some of the potentially available receiving assets from around the game…

Rentals

Jonathan Lucroy, Rangers | Remaining Salary: $2.38MM

Lucroy was one of the marquee names moved at last year’s non-waiver trade deadline, and while he was a monster for the Rangers down the stretch in 2016, he’s been anything but that in 2017. Through 261 plate appearances, the free-agent-to-be is hitting just .256/.303/.364 — a far cry from the .292/.355/.500 slash he posted following last July’s trade to Texas. His long-heralded framing skills have taken a nosedive in 2017 as well, though he’s still thwarted a hefty 34 percent of stolen base attempts against him. The Rangers are reportedly open to dealing Lucroy, who has already begun to lose some playing time to Robinson Chirinos.

Alex Avila, Tigers | Remaining Salary: $907K

Avila’s breakout has been among the most unexpected elements of the 2017 campaign. After years of seeing his productivity decline, he’s emerged as a force at the plate, hitting a ridiculous .299/.423/.535 with 11 homers through just 227 plate appearances. Many are understandably skeptical of Avila’s success and expect heavy regression. While that’s probably in store, to some extent (his .413 BABIP looks particularly unsustainable), Avila leads the planet in hard contact. Among players with at least 200 plate appearances, no one is within even five percent of the 30-year-old Avila’s hard-hit rate. In terms of exit velocity, Avila’s average mark of 92.9 mph trails only Aaron Judge, Miguel Sano and Joey Gallo (min. 50 batted ball events). He’s always been a hugely patient hitter (14 percent walk rate), and Avila now has one of MLB’s most impressive batted-ball profiles to go along with that keen eye.

Rene Rivera, Mets | Remaining Salary: $794K

Teams eyeing a quality backup could be quite intrigued by Rivera, who continually posts strong framing and caught-stealing marks and is also having a decent offensive season. The 33-year-old is hitting .259/.303/.422 with six homers and has been especially effective against left-handed pitching in recent years. His cheap salary and strong glovework would be an improvement over several No. 2 catchers throughout the league.

Nick Hundley, Giants | Remaining Salary: $907K

Hundley’s strikeout and walk rates have taken substantial detours in the wrong direction this season, but he’s still batting a respectable .264/.286/.443 with four homers through 148 plate appearances. He’s long been a bat-first catcher, and the fact that he’s shown decent pop despite playing his home games at the cavernous AT&T Park could hold appeal to teams in need of an experienced backup.

Kurt Suzuki, Braves | Remaining Salary: $680K

The 33-year-old Suzuki has had his best season at the plate since 2014 with the Twins, slashing .250/.342/.461 with seven homers through just 151 plate appearances with the Braves. While SunTrust Park has proven to be homer-friendly, five of Suzuki’s seven big flies have come on the road, so it’s not just the new park that’s led to the resurgence. Suzuki was among the game’s worst at preventing stolen bases from 2015-16, but he’s had a rebound there as well, nailing eight of 29 potential thieves (27.5 percent).

Welington Castillo, Orioles | Remaining Salary: $2.7MM (plus $7MM player option)

Castillo is technically controllable through 2018 due to a player option, but any team acquiring him would be doing so with the hope that he played well enough to forgo that option, so he’s listed with the other rentals. It’s not certain that the O’s will market Castillo — GM Dan Duquette has persistently characterized his team as a contender — but Baltimore is four games under .500 and 7.5 games back in the AL East. Since opening the season with a 22-10 record, the Orioles are 20-36. Even if Duquette doesn’t want to market top-shelf pieces like Manny Machado and Zach Britton, gauging the market on Castillo makes some sense. He’s hitting .258/.298/.412 and has struggled since returning from a groin injury, but if he comes out firing after the break, he could be of interest given his plus power relative to other catchers.

Controlled Through 2018

Tyler Flowers, Braves | Remaining Salary: $1.5MM in 2017 (including $300K buyout of $4MM 2018 club option)

The Braves haven’t given much of an indication that Flowers is on the market, but GM John Coppolella has long been open to dealing veteran pieces that aren’t under contract in the long term. It should be noted that Flowers’ deal contains incentives based on games started, so he’ll actually probably earn another $600-900K this season, as he’ll take home $100K for every fifth start through 90 and another $150K for every five starts after that. Flowers is hitting .306/.397/.440 with the best framing marks of his career but also some uncharacteristic troubles in preventing the running game. He’s thrown out just 18 percent of runners this season and posted just a five percent mark in 2016. Some of that is likely on the Atlanta staff, but the trend is nonetheless concerning.

Devin Mesoraco, Reds | Remaining Salary: $3.3MM in 2017, $13MM in 2018

Mesoraco has been limited to 235 plate appearances in the Majors since Opening Day 2015 due to a series of hip and shoulder injuries. He was on the cusp of emerging as one of the game’s best offensive catchers when his body began to break down, and he’s on the disabled list once again right now due to a strain in his surgically repaired left shoulder. The Reds probably don’t mind the idea of freeing up the remaining $16.3MM or so on his contract, but it’s tough to imagine a trade given his unfortunate inability to stay on the field since signing his four-year extension.

Longer-Term Assets

J.T. Realmuto, Marlins | Pre-arbitration, controllable through 2020

Listing Realmuto at all is a stretch, as president of baseball ops said just this weekend that he’s not discussing the young catcher in trades. However, the Marlins are prepping to act at least partially as a seller, and even though Realmuto isn’t making much more than the league minimum, a team could certainly take a run at making a Godfather-style offer to acquire four and a half seasons of a catcher that has batted .303/.348/.440 over the past two seasons despite playing his home games in an extremely pitcher-friendly setting. That said, it seems extremely unlikely that Realmuto does change hands.

Cameron Rupp, Phillies | Pre-arbitration, controllable through 2020

Rupp, on the other hand, is a more logical long-term piece for clubs looking to bring in some help behind the dish. The Phillies have Andrew Knapp, a potential starter, serving as their backup right now. Meanwhile, prospect Jorge Alfaro is honing his skills in his first taste of Triple-A. Alfaro isn’t exactly setting the world on fire in Lehigh Valley, but if the Phils believe that one of Knapp or Alfaro can be their long-term answer behind the plate, then fielding offers on Rupp makes some sense. There’s no rush with Alfaro struggling, though, and Rupp hasn’t exactly helped his trade stock with a .220/.310/.370 slash this season, so this scenario shouldn’t be characterized as especially likely, either.

Tucker Barnhart, Reds | Pre-arbitration, controllable through 2020

Barnhart is having a quietly productive season on a last-place team that is still in the midst of a rebuild. I doubt the Reds are anxious to move him since he’s affordable and playing well, but I also highly doubt that GM Dick Williams would deem Barnhart to be untouchable. He’s hitting .273/.337/.401 with a pair of homers through 212 plate appearances on the year and has thrown out a league-leading 51 percent of potential base thieves.

Currently in the Minors

Kevin Plawecki, Jett Bandy, Andrew Susac, John Ryan Murphy

There are literally dozens of players that could be listed here, so perhaps listing any options under this category is an exercise in futility. That said, each of these players has some Major League experience and was once viewed as a potential starter. They’re all “blocked” to varying extents in the Majors right now as well, so a team looking to roll the dice on a relatively young asset whose stock is down could view players of this ilk as buy-low options.

Cashman On Yankees’ Trade Deadline Approach

By Steve Adams | July 10, 2017 at 10:50am CDT

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman sat down the YES Network’s Michael Kay prior to yesterday’s first-half finale to discuss his team’s philosophy with the non-waiver trade deadline just three weeks away (video link). Cashman labeled the Yankees as “careful buyers,” with the implication being that the team will strive to improve its playoff hopes in 2017 without significantly mortgaging its future by trading away its very best minor leaguers.

“We have a long-term plan that I think people are seeing the excitement from, and we’re definitely not going to deviate from that,” said Cashman. “…Part of that long-term plan is in the short term — winning now and putting out the best effort possible, but not at the expense of what we feel can lead us to more championships, plural. … If we can find that balancing act and retain the players we desperately need to retain … I think that’s the walk we’re trying to walk.”

Cashman specifically lamented the fact that the team has had to scramble to piece together its relief corps in recent weeks, noting that scenarios like relief prospect Ronald Herrera flying cross-country to Anaheim and making his MLB debut in the eighth inning that same night is far from ideal. The New York GM also flatly called his team’s output from first base in 2017 “horrific.” That’s due largely to injuries to Greg Bird and Tyler Austin, and it remains to be seen if Bird will get back on the field and contribute at all in the season’s second half.

Per Cashman, Bird is receiving further opinions on his ankle today, so it’s possible that there’ll be an update on him in the near future. The Yankees, it seems, are waiting to gather a bit more information on that front before taking any type of action. What seems clear based on Cashman’s comments, though, is that even if it’s determined that a first-base upgrade is needed in 2017, it’s likely to be short-term help.

“[Bird] is the best scenario,” said Cashman. “This guy is a hell of a ballplayer when right and when healthy. He’s been unhealthy, obviously, for the first half. That was unexpected. It’s gone on for an extended period of time. … At the end of the day, our personal preference is that this guy should be manning first base for years to come. We’re doing everything we can with him, his agency, to find the answers to the questions that currently ail him. If not, we’ll try to fix it while keeping in mind that Greg Bird is still the future first baseman.”

MLBTR’s Connor Byrne recently ran down a number of plausible first base options for the Yankees. While several of those potentially available first basemen are longer-term assets that clash with Cashman’s comments, others such as Yonder Alonso and Lucas Duda are impending free agents that align more closely with that long-term plan (depending on the asking price, of course). White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier, too, is another free-agent-to-be that comes with a fairly significant amount of experience at first base.

Ultimately, Cashman was straightforward in suggesting that his aim is to be active on this year’s trade market, telling Kay: We hope to do something, but I’m not going to guarantee anything’s going to happen.” The team, in fact, has already been active in talks for several weeks, though Cashman referenced lofty “sticker prices” from selling clubs, adding that he believes fans would be thankful that he’s turned away the offers that have been presented to him thus far due to the extreme asking prices in terms of prospect capital.

Marlins’ President Hill On Team’s Trade Talks

By Steve Adams | July 10, 2017 at 8:32am CDT

The Marlins have been perhaps the most oft-discussed teams in baseball with MLB’s non-waiver trade deadline just three weeks away, but president of baseball operations Michael Hill threw some cold water on rumors surrounding some of the team’s most appealing assets. Speaking to FanRag’s Jon Heyman, Hill stated that the Marlins “aren’t talking about” controllable stars Christian Yelich, J.T. Realmuto and Marcell Ozuna in trade discussions.

Asked specifically about first baseman Justin Bour and right-hander Dan Straily, Hill offered similar sentiments, stating that Bour “goes into the same basket” and that Straily’s status as a successful, pre-arbitration pitcher lands him in that same category. The recently extended Miami president stopped short of suggesting that Giancarlo Stanton was off limits, though Hill does say that the Marlins haven’t put his name out to other teams. And, of course, Stanton has a full no-trade clause and an enormous sum remaining on his 13-year contract, making it tough for another team to take on his contract anyway.

Hill’s comments mesh with yesterday’s report from the New York Post’s Joel Sherman suggesting that Miami’s primary focus is on dealing away its more expensive relievers (e.g. Brad Ziegler, AJ Ramos, David Phelps) and other veterans on the roster, with names like Martin Prado and Edinson Volquez both popping up as of late. Of course, any developments in the apparently ceaseless negotiations of a sale of the Marlins could impact deadline maneuverings. (Heyman has a separate update on the latest developments on that front.) But, it’s nonetheless notable to see Miami’s head of baseball ops firmly suggest that the team’s most appealing assets are likely to remain in house, as things stand.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale recently reported that the Fish have had talks with three clubs about second baseman Dee Gordon as well, and a Marlins source confirmed to Heyman that his name has at least been mentioned in talks, though there’s nothing in either report to indicate that talks are serious. (I’ll note that I respectfully disagree with Heyman when it comes to Gordon’s contract being a “vast overpay”; the 29-year-old remains a quality defender and one of MLB’s top baserunners in addition to a solid .295/.342/.358 batting line, helping to mask his lack of pop.) Heyman adds that it’s a similar story with Prado, who has been connected to both the Yankees and Red Sox but isn’t high on either club’s list.

Even with the team’s top names unlikely to be marketed, Miami could still fetch varying levels of interest in Ramos, Phelps, Kyle Barraclough, Dustin McGowan, Volquez, Derek Dietrich and Tom Koehler, so there could still be plenty of action for the Marlins on the trade market.

Furthermore, it stands to reason that the Marlins will be more open to parting with larger names once this week’s All-Star festivities have passed. In addition to the fact that the league generally frowns on trades during this time, urging teams not to take focus off the Midsummer Classic and its surrounding festivities, Miami is hosting this year’s event. Embarking on a significant fire sale before the All-Star Game rolls through town isn’t a good look for any franchise’s fans.

Quick Hits: Prospects, Bruce, Ramos, Phelps, Yankees, Marlins, Weaver

By Mark Polishuk and Connor Byrne | July 9, 2017 at 11:58pm CDT

Yoan Moncada sits atop both the midseason top 100 prospect rankings from Baseball America and the top 50 list from Baseball Prospectus. The two lists have different methodologies in compiling the rankings (for instance, BA includes 2017 draft picks while BP doesn’t) but obviously are in agreement about the value of several top minor leaguers, with Moncada as the consensus choice. The White Sox prospect has a very solid but not dominant .282/.380/.451 slash line over 334 plate appearances at Triple-A this season, and with 93 strikeouts on his record, plate discipline is still something of a question mark. Of course, Moncada struck out in 12 of his 20 big league plate appearances last season during his first taste of MLB action. Though the White Sox have been somewhat non-committal about when Moncada will get called up, the 22-year-old is likely to make his debut in a White Sox uniform at some point late this season.

Here’s some more from around baseball…

Jay Bruce’s contract contains partial no-trade protection against eight teams, and the octet on Bruce’s list hasn’t changed since the offseason, James Wagner of the New York Times writes. The eight teams in question are the Athletics, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, Marlins, Phillies, Rays, Twins, and Yankees. The Mets outfielder isn’t likely to be targeted by many of those teams anyway, be it for financial reasons, fit reasons or because at least three of those clubs are looking like deadline sellers themselves.
The Yankees are one of the many teams interested in Marlins relievers AJ Ramos and David Phelps, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.
Also from Sherman’s piece, the Marlins have gotten “a few nibbles” on Edinson Volquez and Brad Ziegler. Miami appears to be concentrating on dealing relievers and veterans under multi-year contracts like Volquez and Ziegler, and the club’s biggest names seem to be staying put for now, though “the situation is fluid,” according to both Marlins officials and officials on rival teams. Sherman includes right-hander Dan Straily on the list of Miami’s untouchable-for-now core players, which makes sense given that Straily is enjoying a strong season and is controllable for three more seasons. The Marlins are scouting over 20 different farm systems for potential trade pieces.
It’s unclear if Padres righty Jered Weaver will ever pitch again, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes. If Weaver does resume his career, Lin doesn’t expect it to happen in San Diego (Twitter link). The 34-year-old Weaver, who has been on the disabled list with left hip inflammation in late May, is working on his health in San Diego, according to manager Andy Green. The club has given Weaver “latitude to explore some things,” and there’s no timetable for his return, per Green. Before Weaver landed on the shelf, the former Angels ace recorded unsightly numbers (7.44 ERA, 7.99 FIP) over nine starts and 42 1/3 innings.

Injury Notes: Kipnis, Braun, Guerra, Nate Jones, E-Rod

By Mark Polishuk | July 9, 2017 at 10:45pm CDT

The Indians placed second baseman Jason Kipnis on the 10-day disabled list due to a strained right hamstring, the team announced. This is Kipnis’ second DL stint of the year, as he sprained his right shoulder’s rotator cuff during Spring Training and didn’t take the field until April 21. These injury problems could explain Kipnis’ uncharacteristically poor numbers — the two-time former All-Star is hitting just .232/.292/.402 over 283 plate appearances.

Here are some more injury updates from around the league…

Ryan Braun is again dealing with calf problems, and the Brewers slugger missed Sunday’s game to rest the injury. Milwaukee skipper Craig Counsell told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy and other media that the team is hopeful Braun will be able to play in the Brewers’ second-half opener. The former NL MVP has hit very well (.259/.342/.545 with 10 home runs) when he has been able to play, though Braun has been limited to just 40 games and 161 PA due to two DL stints.
The Brewers announced that Junior Guerra has been placed on the 10-day DL with a shin contusion. The assignment is backdated to yesterday, so Guerra is eligible to return for the Brewers’ fifth game after the All-Star break and he may not wind up missing so much as a start. Guerra suffered the injury on Friday when he was struck by an Austin Romine line drive. The righty was a surprise breakout star for Milwaukee’s rotation last season but has struggled to a 4.78 ERA thanks primarily to home runs (13 allowed in just 49 IP) and walks (5.7 BB/9), plus he missed almost all of April and May recovering from a calf strain.
White Sox reliever Nate Jones felt discomfort in his right elbow during a flat-ground throwing session on Friday and will be re-evaluated during the All-Star break, Chicago manager Rick Renteria told reporters, including MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. Jones pitched just 11 2/3 IP out of Chicago’s bullpen this season before going on the DL in late April with right elbow neuritis. His rehab has already been interrupted by one shutdown in June, and should this latest setback require more time off from throwing, time may be running out for Jones to return to the mound this season.
Eduardo Rodriguez pitched well in his final rehab start and is lined up to the Red Sox rotation next Monday, manager John Farrell told the Boston Herald’s Stephen Hewitt and other reporters. That would make it six and a half weeks after Rodriguez hit the DL after suffering a partial dislocation of his right kneecap. The southpaw has a strong 3.54 ERA, 9.6 K/9 and 3.10 K/BB rate over 61 innings for the Sox this year.

Tigers Outright Matt den Dekker To Triple-A

By Jeff Todd | July 9, 2017 at 10:41pm CDT

TODAY: den Dekker has been outrighted to Triple-A after he cleared waivers, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports (via Twitter).

WEDNESDAY: The Tigers have designated outfielder Matt den Dekker for assignment, per a club announcement. Alex Presley will take his roster spot after being activated from the concussion DL.

It ended up being a short stay in Detroit for den Dekker. The 29-year-old outfielder saw just four games of action, though that was enough to make this the fifth straight year in which he has cracked the majors. He has been hitting well at Triple-A on the season, with a .258/.331/.490 slash over 176 total plate appearances.

Detroit came into the year expecting to give Presley a shot, but he hit the DL after just 54 plate appearances. He’ll work into the outfield mix, most likely joining some kind of platoon with center fielder Mikie Mahtook.

It’s possible that some additional playing time could come available in just a few weeks, depending upon what the Tigers do at the trade deadline. Presley and den Dekker (if he clears waivers and decides to stay) are just two of the left-handed-hitting outfielders in the organization.

Jim Adduci was just optioned after being activated from his own DL stint, and the Triple-A Toledo roster also lists Tyler Collins and Jason Krizan as southpaw swingers who can play some center field. The Double-A outfield is made up entirely of lefty bats, with former top prospect Steven Moya joined by current top-ten prospects Christin Stewart and Michael Gerber.

Gammons On Cubs, Tigers, Verlander, Lowrie, Cole

By Mark Polishuk | July 9, 2017 at 9:15pm CDT

“This is the reality: there are a lot more sellers than buyers right now,” a club personnel director tells Peter Gammons in the writer’s latest piece for his Gammons Daily website. Not only are some teams still wondering if they can get back into the postseason race, other teams further back in the standings are looking to rebound in 2018 and thus won’t engage in full-scale selloffs at the deadline. It makes for a lot of speculation but little hard facts at this point in July. As one GM jokes, “the whole countdown to deadline day has become akin to stores putting Christmas decorations in their showcase windows on Labor Day.” Here are some hot stove items from Gammons…

“The Cubs have called almost every team” in search of starting pitching, including asking the Tigers about Michael Fulmer and Daniel Norris. It would take a blockbuster offer for Detroit to eve consider moving Fulmer, as he has already displayed frontline-starter capabilities over his year and a half as a major leaguer, and he has yet to even reach his arbitration seasons. Norris would come at a lesser but still substantial price since he is controlled through 2022, though the southpaw has battled both injuries and inconsistency during his four years in the bigs. The Cubs are known to be looking for controllable young arms, and may be willing to deal from their surplus of young position players to do so.
One Tigers pitcher that isn’t on the Cubs’ radar is Justin Verlander, as one Cubs official tells Gammons that “no one is going to pay $70MM for him, even though he may still be a very good pitcher.” Chicago reportedly at least asked about Verlander at one point, though with Detroit apparently wanting to both get top prospects and get Verlander’s salary off the books, it isn’t surprising that the Cubs’ interest in Verlander was described yesterday as “more smoke than fire” by the Detroit Free Press’ Anthony Fenech.
Billy Beane told Gammons earlier this week that he hadn’t received any serious interest in Sonny Gray prior to last weekend, and the same goes for any serious calls about Jed Lowrie. The veteran infielder is thought to be a good target for teams in need of middle infield help and the Athletics to find lineup space for prospect Franklin Barreto, though it appears that Lowrie’s market has yet to develop with over three weeks still to go until the deadline. MLBTR’s Connor Byrne examined Lowrie, Gray and other Oakland trade candidates in a Taking Inventory piece earlier today.
Returning to Gammons’ original point about teams not wanting rebuild when they feel they have a chance in 2018, Pirates GM Neal Huntington said that his team isn’t likely to trade young right-hander Gerrit Cole. “We haven’t had a real conversation about Gerrit, and I don’t see us doing so,” Huntington said. “We think we can be serious contenders next year….Our goal is to maintain a level of competitiveness every year, and not to have to jump back and build all over again.”

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