Tigers To Sign Alexi Amarista
The Tigers have reached a minor-league deal with veteran infielder Alexi Amarista, according to Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free-Press (Twitter links). He’ll receive an invitation to participate in MLB camp.
Amarista, 28, spent the 2017 season with the Rockies. The Colorado organization declined a $2.5MM club option for the coming season, preferring instead to pay him a $150K buyout.
There’s little to love about Amarista’s offensive profile. He has never hit much, but his output has not even kept pace with the standard he set earlier in his career, when he was a heavily used player with the Padres. Over the past three seasons, Amarista owns a marginal .225/.268/.301 slash line with six home runs and 15 steals over 683 plate appearances.
Clearly, the work with the bat does not explain Amarista’s appeal. Rather, it lies in his defensive versatility. Amarista has spent most of his career playing the middle infield, especially short, and also has significant time at thrid base and across the outfield (including in center).
For Detroit, Amarista represents some much-needed veteran depth. He could challenge for a reserve role in camp along with fellow non-roster invitee Pete Kozma. Yet more opportunity could open up if the Tigers end up dealing shortstop Jose Iglesias.
Diamondbacks To Sign Antonio Bastardo
Adding to a run on bounceback pitching candidates, the Diamondbacks have struck a minors deal with lefty Antonio Bastardo, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter links). He’ll earn at a $1.5MM rate if he can make the team out of camp and can also accrue up to $4MM in incentives, though that is seemingly tied to games finished — a stat mostly accrued by closers. The deal also includes a March 25th opt-out chance, per the report.
Bastardo, 32, has at times been a high-quality setup man. But he stumbled in 2016 and, in particular, 2017. Over his last 76 2/3 MLB innings, Bastardo has been tagged for 16 home runs and 49 earned runs. He received only nine frames at the game’s highest level last year, struggling on both sides of a lengthy DL stint for a quad injury and ultimately being designated for assignment.
Clearly, something was off for Bastardo in his most recent MLB showing. He exhibited a loss of about 1.5 mph of average fastball velocity, doled out a walk per inning, and only managed to induce swinging strikes at about half his usually excellent rate (13.3% career).
That said, Bastardo turned in more promising results at Triple-A, where he allowed just four earned runs on 11 hits and nine walks while picking up twenty strikeouts in 18 1/3 frames. And there’s a deeper history to be considered, too. Between 2011 and 2015, Bastardo ran a 3.28 ERA with 11.3 K/9 against 4.4 BB/9 in over three hundred major league appearances.
Diamondbacks To Sign Kris Medlen
The Diamondbacks have agreed to a minor-league deal with righty Kris Medlen, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). He’ll have an opt-out opportunity on March 27th if he’s not added to the MLB roster. If he is, Medlen can earn $1.1MM for the coming season.
Medlen, who is now 32 years of age, had returned to the Braves organization in 2017 as he continued to attempt to get his career back on track. He made twenty starts in the minors, but failed to receive an opportunity at the game’s highest level in Atlanta. Through 94 2/3 innings at Triple-A, Medlen carried a 5.42 ERA With 8.0 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9.
Once a quality starter for the Braves, Medlen saw his career derailed by successive Tommy John surgeries. He made it back to the majors with the Royals after missing all of the 2014 season, showing some promise in his first year with Kansas City. But Medlen stumbled in 24 1/3 MLB innings in 2016, allowing 21 earned runs while handing out twenty free passes in a season marred by shoulder issues.
For Arizona, Medlen becomes the latest hurler to join on with a chance to compete for a bullpen spot in camp. It’s also possible he could function as a starter, of course, though the odds would appear to be stacked against him making the team in that role.
MLBTR Poll: Grading The Giants’ Offseason To Date
The winter isn’t over — far from it, in fact — but a few teams have gone further than others in determining their direction for the coming season. Out in San Francisco, there’s no question that the Giants are pushing in some chips in hopes of rebounding from a miserable 2017 season, while at the same time avoiding a wholesale raid on the farm or major long-term contract entanglements.
Walking that kind of tightrope is never easy. For an organization with so many major contract commitments already on the books, there was an obvious risk both in going too far and not far enough. Let’s not forget that the Giants initially set out in pursuit of Giancarlo Stanton, too, suggesting both that the team would have blown past the luxury tax line in some circumstances (and perhaps may still) and also that the ultimate series of moves was (at least in part) something of a backup plan.
Having entered the offseason with glaring holes at several positions, and the above-noted limitations on resources, here’s what the Giants front office has come up with thus far:
- acquired third baseman Evan Longoria and $14.5MM for infielder Christian Arroyo, outfielder Denard Span, and pitching prospects Stephen Woods and Matt Krook
- acquired outfielder Andrew McCutchen for righty Kyle Crick, outfield prospect Bryan Reynolds, and $500K in international pool space
- signed outfielder Austin Jackson (two years, $6MM)
- signed catcher Nick Hundley (one year, $2.5MM)
- traded away lefty Matt Moore for pitching prospects Sam Wolff and Israel Cruz
- added infield depth through claims and minor-league signings, including Engelb Vielma, Josh Rutledge, Chase d’Arnaud, and catcher Hector Sanchez
In the aggregate, the organization has parted with some youthful assets and MLB pitching depth while reallocating those resources (including Moore’s $9MM salary) to other areas of need. And the team is still flying just beneath the luxury tax line, with the inclusion of Span in the Longoria swap helping to manage the accounting.
The results surely aren’t bombproof. Longoria and McCutchen, the two main additions, are no longer the superstars they once were. Meanwhile, the San Francisco pitching staff will need to rely on some unproven youngsters. Even having bypassed several internal options to make Jackson the anticipated fourth outfielder, the team still needs to acquire a center fielder (or choose one from within) to take regular time or platoon with Jackson.
There’s an optimistic view here, too. While Longo and Cutch aren’t likely to carry the club, they don’t need to do that to justify their additions. Both are still in their early thirties and it would hardly be surprising to find there are still a few more high-quality seasons left, given their undeniable talent levels. The pitching reductions may feel somewhat riskier than they really are, as the Giants do have quite a few arms on the rise. And it seems reasonable to expect that the front office already has a pretty good idea of what its options are in center. The team could still land a bigger asset if the opportunity is right; or, it can stay beneath the luxury tax line while relying on cheaper options. Retaining that flexibility while still making notable gains in roster quality was surely a chief aim.
Of course, the offseason is still not over. But many if not most or all of the team’s significant moves are in the books; at a minimum, we can see how they’ve set the stage for completing things in the next few weeks. So, we’ll turn it over to the MLBTR readership for a mid-term offseason grade (link for app users):
Grade the Giants' Offseason Efforts To Date
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B 51% (8,015)
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C 23% (3,578)
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A 18% (2,777)
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D 5% (854)
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F 4% (572)
Total votes: 15,796
Padres To Sign Allen Craig
The Padres have inked a minors pact with veteran first baseman Allen Craig, according to Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (via Twitter). The contract includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets.
Craig, 33, will be looking to get his career back on track after a disastrous tenure with the Red Sox. That three-and-a-half-year run mercifully ended when Craig was released over the summer. He had not joined another organization in the interim.
At the start of the 2014 season, Craig was a star with the Cardinals, carrying a .850 OPS through three full MLB campaigns. Since that time, he has appeared in just 162 games, struggling both before and after the mid-2014 trade that sent him to Boston and posting a cumulative .573 OPS.
Craig has not seen the majors since 2015. He has also been limited at times by injury. But his struggles have generally continued in the upper minors. Last year, at Triple-A, he managed only a .253/.352/.316 slash through 182 plate appearances before he was cut loose.
Certainly, expectations will not be high in San Diego, but perhaps a new environment will give Craig some chance at finding his form. His contract is no longer a factor; the Sox are paying him a $1MM buyout on the 2018 option that was included in the deal that he originally signed with the Cards.
Diamondbacks To Sign Fernando Salas
The Diamondbacks have reached a minor-league deal with righty Fernando Salas, according to SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (Twitter link). Additional terms are not yet known, but it seems fair to presume he’ll receive an invitation to the MLB side of spring camp.
Salas, 32, has bounced between the Angels and Mets over the past two seasons, moving once in each direction. In each case, he recovered from early struggles to post strong finishes to the season.
In 447 total frames at the game’s highest level, Salas carries a 3.85 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9. Owing to a three-pitch mix (fastball/change/curve, he has long been tough not only on righties but also on lefties, who carry a meager .241/.300/.383 slash against Salas for his career.
While Salas ended the 2017 season with an ugly 5.22 ERA, there were some positives. The results weren’t helped by a 63.1% strand rate and .337 BABIP-against. And he did manage a career-high 47.5% groundball rate and 12.9% swinging-strike rate that matches a personal best.
All told, it seems Salas ought to have a solid shot at breaking camp on the Arizona roster. The D-Backs have sought relief depth at a palatable price, so it’s not hard to understand the match here.
Cubs Agree To Sign Chris Gimenez
The Cubs appear to have a minor-league deal in place with catcher Chris Gimenez, which the University of Nevada baseball club (his collegiate team) tweeted recently and SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo confirms on Twitter. Other terms of the agreement are not yet known.
While minors pacts with veteran catchers typically aren’t very exciting, this one comes with some added interest. For one thing, Gimenez currently projects as the Cubs’ top reserve option behind regular Willson Contreras, with Jason Martinez of Roster Resource projecting that Victor Caratini will open the year at Triple-A.
Of much more speculative (but also more intriguing) note is the fact that Gimenez has an excellent relationship with reputed Chicago pitching target Yu Darvish from their joint time with the Rangers. Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press has covered this topic from the Twins’ point of view, but it’s an interesting read for any fan — particularly those interested in possibly seeing Darvish at Wrigley.
Gimenez, clearly, is a target in his own right. The personable 35-year-old is fresh off of a quality season in which he ran a .220/.350/.382 batting line in a career-high 225 plate appearances. He has typically not hit at quite that level, but comes witha solid defensive reputation, too. Though his framing metrics slipped in ’17 in the eyes of Stat Corner, Gimenez drew good marks from Baseball Prospectus and has typically graded around league-average in that area.
NL Central Notes: Darvish, Brewers, Harrison, Cubs
The Brewers have reportedly made an offer to free-agent righty Yu Darvish, but specifics of the proposal have yet to come to light. However, both Peter Gammons of Gammons Daily and Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel have explored the topic to varying degrees since initial word of the Darvish offer broke in Japan. Gammons suggests that while the Brewers have been connected to both Darvish and Jake Arrieta, the team isn’t planning on making a big splash for the rotation unless owner Mark Attanasio “jumps in.” Haudricourt, meanwhile, notes that GM David Stearns remains mum on the topic while explaining that a big-splash, market-value offer from the Brewers appears unlikely.
Here’s more from Milwaukee and the rest of the NL Central:
- There was a suggestion over the weekend that the Brewers were nearing some kind of trade, but ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick has since walked things back via Twitter. The team has “been working hard on trade possibilities” while also looking into some significant free agents, but Crasnick now says the team is “juggling a lot of scenarios” rather than closing in on anything in particular. In any event, it feels as if there will be some notable movement on the Milwaukee roster between now and the start of camp, though just what and when remain unclear.
- There has been speculation all winter long that the Pirates would trade Josh Harrison, especially after the team dealt key veterans Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole and Harrison suggested he might like to be the next man out the door. But there are some contrary indications. Pirates general manager Neal Huntington has indicated the Pittsburgh organization is still angling to put a winner on the field in the near term, though he hardly ruled out a swap. And a rival GM tells Gammons (see the above link) that he thinks it’s actually increasingly likely that Harrison will remain aboard the Bucs’ ship. Since the bulk of the value brought back in the McCutchen and Cole trades is at or near the MLB level, the club may prefer to keep the useful Harrison in the fold, Gammons’s source suggests.
- While the Cubs have given every indication that they are still looking at starters, current righty Kyle Hendricks says the rotation doesn’t need to be improved, as Steve Greenberg of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The Cubs, after all, have four established starters along with the capable Mike Montgomery. Of course, the depth chart behind that group is questionable, and the team would no doubt prefer to upgrade over Montgomery — turning him into a useful reliever who’d be the first man up in the event of injury — rather than settling for a pure depth option.
Cubs Re-Sign Brian Duensing
JANUARY 22, 4:40pm: Duensing’s salary is split into two equal installments, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). Incentives based upon appearances can boost the annual rate by as much as $1.75MM, maxing out if and when Duensing takes the ball for the 65th time.
11:05am: Duensing has passed his physical, as the team has now formally announced his two-year contract. Chicago’s 40-man roster now sits at 39 players.
JANUARY 17: The Cubs have agreed to a two-year deal to bring back lefty Brian Duensing, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). If finalized, it’ll guarantee the southpaw $7MM, per the report. Duensing is a client of the Legacy Agency.
Duensing, who’ll turn 35 years of age before the start of the 2018 season, was targeted by the Cubs last winter. He justified the team’s faith, turning in a quality season on a $2MM salary. Evidently, Duensing also enjoyed his time at Wrigley; per Heyman (via Twitter), Duensing had the chance to earn “significantly more” with other organizations this winter but chose instead to return.
Despite his encroaching age, the results certainly justify the contract. Duensing is fresh off of a 62 1/3-inning campaign in which he carried a 2.74 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9. He also allowed just one earned run on one hit in his five postseason appearances.
In many ways, Duensing’s 2017 work represented a continuation of his typical efforts, as he sat in his usual range of fastball velocity (92 to 93 mph) and continued to bring a starter’s arsenal to bear in the bullpen. He continued a trend in pitch usage, utilizing his offspeed mix (slider/curve/change) more than half the time for the first time in his career, but generally continued down a path he had already embarked upon.
Duensing has generally been tough to square up as a reliever, holding opposing hitters to a .254/.322/.372 slash when he enters from the pen. He was reliable against both lefties and righties in 2017, but he has done that at times previously. Duensing’s 10.3% swinging-strike rate last year was the second highest mark in his career, though that fell mostly in line with prior output. And he carried a solid 48.6% groundball rate in 2017 that doesn’t stand out from his career average, either.
In large part, then, credit is due to the Cubs for recognizing Duensing as an under-appreciated hurler, rather than tweaking his approach. The team will hope that the success can continue even as he continues to age. While the expectation will presumably remain that Duensing will work in a relief role, perhaps it doesn’t hurt that he has a background as (and, as noted, continues to use the pitch mix of) a starter.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Astros Claim Buddy Boshers
The Astros have claimed left-handed reliever Buddy Boshers off waivers from the Twins, per a team announcement from Houston. Boshers was designated for assignment by the Twins in order to clear a roster spot for Addison Reed. Boshers pushes Houston’s 40-man roster up to a count of 39.
Set to turn 30 in May, Boshers parlayed a minor league deal with the Twins in the 2015-16 offseason into 71 innings of work and more than a year of service at the big league level. In parts of his two seasons with Minnesota, the southpaw turned in a 4.56 ERA. Boshers impressed with an 8.2 K/9 rate against 2.2 BB/9, but he’s also been somewhat homer-prone (1.3 HR/9). He’s also been clobbered by right-handed opponents in that time; while Boshers limited lefties to a lowly .231/.262/.345 batting line through 122 plate appearances, righties knocked him around at a .268/.330/.485 clip in 183 PAs.
He’ll add some much-needed depth to the Astros from the left side, as Tony Sipp currently projects to be the only southpaw in Houston’s big league bullpen. Boshers has a minor league option remaining, so the Astros can freely send him to the minors even if he doesn’t break camp with the club. Other options on the 40-man include outfielder-turned-pitcher Anthony Gose (a Rule 5 pick) and Reymin Guduan.
Certainly, there’s room for the Astros to further strengthen this area either on the trade or free-agent market before Opening Day. Tony Watson is the top lefty reliever remaining on the free-agent market, and he’s joined by the likes of Jorge De La Rosa, Fernando Abad, Xavier Cedeno and Kevin Siegrist (among others), as can be seen in MLBTR’s Free Agent Tracker.