Curtis Granderson Intends To Play In 2018
While some have wondered whether veteran outfielder Curtis Granderson would call it quits this offseason, that does not appear to be his preference. Per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, via Twitter, Granderson intends to play in 2018.
The 36-year-old Granderson just wrapped up the free agent deal he signed with the Mets and finished with the Dodgers. Midway through the 2017 campaign, he acknowledged at least contemplating the end of his playing days, though he hardly made any commitments. While he had run up a quality batting line for most of the year in New York, the lefty-swinging slugger faded down the stretch with Los Angeles. Granderson ended the season with a .212/.323/.452 slash over 527 plate appearances.
It’s obviously not likely that the respected veteran will be tasked with such a significant role in his next destination. But he certainly could potentially handle a platoon assignment, particularly since he still runs well and is capable of solid glovework in the corner outfield. Granderson has long carried rather notable splits and would be best served facing only right-handed pitching, but in the right setting he might be a real asset.
There will be some competition on the market, of course. Carlos Gonzalez, Jarrod Dyson, Jon Jay, and Seth Smith are all generally similarly situated, short-term targets (albeit with varying strengths and weaknesses, as well as anticipated price points). Potential part-time righty bats include Howie Kendrick, Austin Jackson, Jayson Werth, and Chris Young, and then there’s the switch-hitting Melky Cabrera. With a variety of trade candidates also floating around, it’s easy to see how many alternatives will be presented.
Still, Granderson ought to do well enough in free agency, even if there’s no chance of matching the $15MM annual value of his last contract. He’s regarded as one of the game’s best citizens. While things didn’t go as hoped with the Dodgers, particularly in the postseason, Granderson was targeted as a finishing piece and could well be seen that way by other organizations. Over the four seasons since he signed with the Mets, Granderson carried a .235/.338/.440 composite batting line (113 OPS+) while appearing in an average of 152 games a year. With more targeted usage, he might conceivably approach or even exceed that level of output on a part-time basis.
Minor MLB Transactions: 11/7/17
After a busy transactional day yesterday, let’s catch up on some of the latest minor moves:
- Catcher Bryan Holaday and outfielder Alex Presley have elected free agency from the Tigers, Evan Woodberry of MLive.com reports on Twitter. Each of the veterans was outrighted recently, though Woodberry hints that Detroit has interest in bringing both back on minors deals. Holaday will enter the pool of catchers that are looking for opportunities to compete for reserve jobs in camp. The 32-year-old Presley should also draw attention from other organizations; he turned in 264 plate appearances of .314/.354/.416 hitting in 2017.
- The Rockies selected the contract of outfielder Noel Cuevas, per a club announcement. Acquired from the division-rival Dodgers in the trade that sent Juan Nicasio to Los Angeles, Cuevas blossomed at Triple-A Alburquerque in 2017. Across 528 plate appearances, he posted a .312/.353/.487 slash with 15 long balls and 16 steals.
- Two players were also added to the Yankees 40-man roster, the club announced. Outfielder Jake Cave is one of them; the one-time Rule 5 pick won’t be eligible for the draft again this year. He turned in a compelling season in the upper minors, including a robust .324/.367/.554 batting line with 15 long balls in 297 Triple-A plate appearances. Joining him is righty Nick Rumbelow, who returned from Tommy John surgery with aplomb last year. Over 40 1/3 innings, he allowed just five earned runs on 21 hits while racking up a 45:11 K/BB ratio.
- The Indians selected the contract of Eric Haase, per the MLB.com transactions page. The 24-year-old backstop knocked around Double-A pitching to the tune of a .258/.349/.574 batting line and 26 homers through 381 plate appearances.
- Cuban catcher Lorenzo Quintana is joining the Astros for a $200K bonus, per MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (via Twitter). The 28-year-old is not subject to international signing restrictions. Quintana was long one of the most productive receivers in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, carrying a lifetime .310/.377/.438 batting line, but he last played there in the 2014-15 season.
Outrighted: Twins, Phillies, Rays, Cardinals, Padres, Dodgers, Pirates
A variety of teams cleared 40-man space today. Some of the moves are reflected elsewhere on the site, but we’ll round up the others right here:
- The Twins have outrighted catcher Chris Gimenez and left Ryan O’Rourke, as MLB.com’ Rhett Bollinger tweets. Gimenez could have been retained for a projected $1MM arbitration salary, but Minnesota elected not to commit that much cash (and a roster spot) despite Gimenez’s 225 plate appearances of roughly league-average hitting in 2017. He tells Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer that he’ll likely elect to return to the open market, but would be open to a return (links to Twitter). As for O’Rourke, he was said to be exploring ways of hastening his return from Tommy John surgery, but Minnesota isn’t willing to gamble on the lefty’s recovery at this time.
- Infielder Pedro Florimon and righty Jesen Therrien are now free agents after being outrighted off of the Phillies 40-man, per a club announcement. The 30-year-old Florimon has made his way onto a major league roster in each of the past seven seasons, compiling a .209/.269/.308 slash in 791 plate appearances but providing enough with the glove to keep earning return trips. The 24-year-old Therrien was knocked around in 15 relief appearances for the Phils this year, but did turn in 57 1/3 frames of 1.41 ERA ball (with 10.2 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9) during his time in the upper minors.
- The Rays outrighted catcher Curt Casali, outfielder Cesar Puello, and righty Shawn Tolleson, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. Casali played a bigger role on the 2016 MLB outfit and posted only a .698 OPS at Triple-A. The 26-year-old Puello has bounced around of late and struggled in a brief go at the bigs, but did manage a productive .327/.377/.526 slash in 379 plate appearances at the highest level of the minors (none of which came with a Tampa Bay affiliate). Tolleson required Tommy John surgery in May, so he’ll likely be looking for an organization to rehab with.
- Departing the Cardinals‘ 40-man were infielder Alex Mejia and catcher Alberto Rosario, according to MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch (via Twitter). Mejia struggled mightily in the bigs as a 26-year-old rookie, but slashed .291/.341/.413 in his 475 plate appearances in the upper minors. As for Rosario, who is thirty years of age, there just hasn’t been much opportunity for time behind the MLB plate.
- Backstop Hector Sanchez and righty Tim Melville took free agency from the Padres after clearing outright waivers, per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com (Twitter link). Sanchez, a 28-year-old switch-hitter who has seen action in each of the past seven MLB seasons, will surely be targeted as a depth acquisition by other organizations. Melville, who’s also 28, worked to a 2.95 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 76 1/3 Triple-A innings — his best results in the minors — but was bombed in brief MLB time.
- The Dodgers outrighted first baseman/outfielder O’Koyea Dickson, as J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group tweets. Dickson, 27, briefly touched the majors in 2017 but spent the bulk of his time at Triple-A for the third-straight season. After putting up big numbers there in 2016, Dickson managed a career-best 24 home runs over 458 plate appearances in his most recent campaign, but slipped to a .328 on-base percentage.
- Finally, the Pirates outrighted lefty Dan Runzler, MLB.com’s Adam Berry reports on Twitter. He’ll head back to free agency after refusing an assignment. Runzler, 32, made it back to the majors after a four-year absence, but only saw four innings in eight appearances. He pitched to a 3.05 ERA in 41 1/3 Triple-A innings, managing only 7.8 K/9 against 4.8 BB/9 but also generating typically strong groundball numbers.
Shohei Otani Hires CAA
Young Japanese star Shohei Otani has hired Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to represent him in his planned move to the majors, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter). Nez Balelo will be the lead agent, per the report, who’ll help steward Otani through what promises to be a fascinating process.
While news of an agency choice is rarely outwardly exciting, it’s particularly notable in this case. Otani is severely limited in what he can earn, but will be looking for a team that suits his other preferences — the precise nature of which remain unknown, but which reportedly include a preference to see time as a hitter as well as a pitcher. His representation will also be advising him about marketing and other earning opportunities as well as the possibility of ultimately securing a long-term contract of the type he cannot now obtain due to the international signing restrictions.
CAA, one of the larger agencies in the sport, evidently beat out several other major competitors to land Otani as a client. Some of the outfit’s notable clients include Japanese players Nori Aoki and Junichi Tazawa. CAA has negotiated quite a few significant extensions, including big contracts for Ryan Braun, Matt Cain, Adam Jones, Buster Posey, and Ryan Zimmerman along with more recent deals for Stephen Piscotty and Jean Segura. The agency also worked on contracts for Robinson Cano, Yoenis Cespedes, and Rusney Castillo in the course of its former partnership with Roc Nation Sports.
The most recent reports on Otani’s potential posting suggest all the more reason to take note of this decision. A negotiation impasse threatens to scuttle his move altogether, with the reporting indicating that Otani (through his agent) will likely need to play a role in resolving things. (You’ll want to read the full report from Joel Sherman of the New York Post to understand the situation in full, but in essence, the problem is tied to the confluence of international bonus limitations and the proposed modification to the posting system whereby Japanese clubs would receive a percentage of any bonus.)
While Otani’s reps work to sort out the transfer situation, teams will no doubt be interested in beginning to learn just what Otani will base his decision on if and when he’s formally made available by his current team, the Nippon Ham Fighters. Many have speculated on the points of a decision — the availability of a DH slot, geography, a history of successful Japanese players, willingness to do a significant early extension, etc. — but as of yet nobody really knows how the two-way talent will make up his mind.
As always, you can find the most up-to-date MLB agency information in MLBTR’s Agency Database.
Giants Exercise Club Options Over Bumgarner, Moore, Sandoval
As expected, the Giants have exercised club options over left-handed starters Madison Bumgarner and Matt Moore, as Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News reports. San Francisco will also retain veteran third baseman Pablo Sandoval — a move that resulted from fairly unique circumstances.
There isn’t much cause to belabor the decisions on Bumgarner and Moore. Both had trying seasons, but were easy calls to retain at their respective salaries of $12MM and $9MM. That’s all the more true since each can be retained for similar rates ($12MM and $10MM) for 2019.
The 28-year-old Bumgarner missed about half the season after suffering a rotator cuff tear, but still posted a typically excellent 3.32 ERA with 8.2 K/9 against 1.6 BB/9. He will look to return to his place among the game’s very best pitchers in 2018. Moore scuffled to a 5.52 ERA, but the 28-year-old has had quite a bit more success in the past and at worst ought to provide innings at a palatable rate of pay.
In the case of Sandoval, the key factor remains the ongoing obligations borne by the Red Sox, who’ll pay the lion’s share of the $18MM owed Sandoval over each of the next two seasons (along with a $5MM buyout on a 2020 option). San Francisco will only be on the hook for the league-minimum salary, which is the least they’d have to commit to anyone occupying a roster spot regardless.
Sandoval returned to San Francisco after two and a half years of dreadful production in Boston. But the move back west did not spur a rebound; to the contrary, Sandoval batted just .225/.263/.375 in his 171 plate appearances. That said, the move hardly signals that the Giants are committed to putting Sandoval back in his former role as the regular third baseman. Instead, the team is likely to pursue upgrades there while considering Sandoval for a bench role.
9 Players Receive Qualifying Offers
Today marked the deadline for players to receive one-year qualifying offers at this year’s rate of $17.4MM. Now that the dust has settled, we know that nine players will weigh those decisions for the next ten days.
That falls on the lower end of the spectrum, matching the prior low from 2012 (the first season that the QO system was in operation). On the high side, twenty players received qualifying offers in 2015. But that was also the first year in which any players accepted the one-year offer, which may itself have had an impact on future teams deciding whether to issue it. Last year, after all, there were only ten recipients. At the end of the day, of course, the actual players and teams involved matter most, and that can vary quite a bit from year to year based on a wide variety of factors.
New rules went into effect this winter, so you’ll want to review those to understand how it’ll work this time around. Those rules likely will continue to dampen the use of the QO on the margins, both through the reduction of draft compensation for issuing teams and by the prohibition on multiple QOs for the same player. Of course, it’s worth bearing in mind that every free agent class is different — and that every team situation is as well.
Here are this year’s free agents who were extended a qualifying offer by their teams (in alphabetical order):
- Jake Arrieta, SP, Cubs (source)
- Lorenzo Cain, OF, Royals (post)
- Alex Cobb, SP, Rays (post)
- Wade Davis, RP, Cubs (source)
- Greg Holland, RP, Rockies (source)
- Eric Hosmer, 1B, Royals (post)
- Lance Lynn, SP, Cardinals (post)
- Mike Moustakas, 3B, Royals (post)
- Carlos Santana, 1B, Indians (post)
Several players that were discussed as QO candidates ended up being bypassed — which, generally, is a good thing for their earning power in free agency. Zack Cozart of the Reds (post), Andrew Cashner of the Rangers (post), and Logan Morrison of the Rays (post) were among the closest calls that went against the offer.
Cubs Claim Cory Mazzoni, Outright Leonys Martin
The Cubs have announced a series of roster moves as teams around the league continue to trim rosters. Chicago claimed righty Cory Mazzoni off waivers from the Padres, adding a new name to the 40-man. Leaving the MLB roster is outfielder Leonys Martin; he’ll be replaced by righty Matt Carasiti, whose contract was selected.
Mazzoni, a former second-round draft pick who recently turned 28, has been shelled in minimal MLB time. But he put up some exciting numbers at Triple-A, allowing just two earned runs in 20 1/3 innings while racking up 31 strikeouts against just three walks. Despite those eyebrow-raising tallies, Mazzoni made it through much of the rest of the league on the wire.
As for Martin, he will have the right to elect free agency and seems likely to take it. He was a surprising mid-season acquisition for the Cubs after falling out of favor with the Mariners. Martin posted anemic offensive numbers all year long but still found himself onto the Cubs’ postseason roster. Given his well-regarded defense and baserunning, along with a history that includes some stretches of passable hitting, there ought to be a fair bit of interest in Martin, who is just 29 years of age.
Cardinals To Issue Qualifying Offer To Lance Lynn
The Cardinals will issue a qualifying offer to righty Lance Lynn, MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch reports on Twitter. He’ll have ten days to weigh the $17.4MM offer.
Expectations long have been that Lynn would receive a QO from the Cards — and that he’d ultimately reject it. We’ll have to wait a while to learn his decision, but given his apparent expectations in free agency it seems all but a foregone conclusion that he’ll choose to hit the open market.
Lynn’s decision is eased by the new rules governing the qualifying offer. Teams weighing a signing won’t need to worry about punting a first-round pick, as would have been the case in prior years. The hope and expectation is that the rule change will tamp down on the market difficulties faced by some non-star veterans in the past.
As we discussed in our ranking of the top fifty free agents, Lynn figures to land one of the ten largest contracts of the winter. But our prediction (four years and $56MM) probably seems light if you focus on the positives — namely, a shiny 3.38 career ERA over 977 2/3 innings. That reflects some concerns about the sustainability of that output as Lynn enters his thirties.
Cardinals Release Trevor Rosenthal
The Cardinals have granted right-hander Trevor Rosenthal his unconditional release, per MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch (on Twitter). Rosenthal was eligible for arbitration this offseason but underwent Tommy John surgery this summer and is likely to miss the majority, if not all of the 2018 season as a result.
The 27-year-old Rosenthal went under the knife late in August, making it unlikely that he’ll be able to contribute next season. Even in the unlikely event that Rosenthal had made it back for the tail end of the 2018 season, MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected a $7.9MM salary, which would be far more than any club would be willing to pay given the amount of the season he’ll miss.
Rosenthal and agent Scott Boras will have to weigh multiple options this winter in free agency. When faced with a similar situation, Boras and client Greg Holland opted not to sign at all in the 2015-16 offseason, instead waiting until Holland was completely healed in the 2016-17 offseason and signing a one-year deal with a player option. That route certainly comes with more earning power, though all players have different preferences.
Alternatively, Rosenthal may well wish to find the security that someone like Nathan Eovaldi received last offseason, signing a one-year MLB deal with the Rays that contained a cheap club option for the 2018 campaign. While Eovaldi will “only” earn about $4MM over the 2017-18 seasons, he’s now had a full year to familiarize himself with his new organization and locked in some guaranteed money in the process.
Rosenthal could go either route, though the Holland route leaves him exposed to the possibility of lingering complications from his surgery ultimately preventing him from coming away from the ordeal with any guaranteed money. Regardless, interest in Rosenthal this winter should be robust, as teams look to buy low on the possibility of adding a high-caliber arm to their bullpen for the 2019 campaign once he has (hopefully) recovered from the ligament replacement procedure.
Blue Jays Claim Taylor Guerrieri From Rays, Outright Four Players
The Blue Jays announced on Monday that they’ve claimed right-hander Taylor Guerrieri off waivers from the Rays. Additionally, Toronto announced that catcher Rafael Lopez and right-handers Leonel Campos, Luis Santos and Taylor Cole have been outrighted off the 40-man roster after clearing waivers.
Arm troubles have persistently slowed the career of Guerrieri, a former first-round pick (No. 24 overall, 2011) that from 2012-14 was a consensus top 100 prospect in all of baseball. Guerrieri had Tommy John surgery back in 2013, which limited him to 9 1/3 frames the following season. He slowly built back up over the next two seasons, topping out at a career-high 146 1/3 innings at the Double-A level in 2016. However, further elbow complications limited Guerrieri to that exact same mark of 9 1/3 innings once again in 2017, though he didn’t require surgery this time around. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets that Guerrieri is believed to be healthy and ready for Spring Training 2018.
Santos (27 in February) and Campos (30) made a handful of appearances each in Toronto this past season, totaling 31 1/3 innings between the two of them. While Santos posted a solid-looking 2.70 ERA in his 16 2/3 frames, he also walked four and served up four home runs in that time. He turned in a 4.07 ERA in 108 1/3 Triple-A innings, mostly as a starter. Campos, meanwhile, showed promising strikeout numbers but shakier control both in the Majors and minors — a common trend throughout his career.
Cole, 28, saw more limited action yet, missing most of the minor league season with an injury before going on a 12 2/3-inning scoreless streak and earning a late look in the Majors. He was hit hard in his lone MLB appearance and suffered a fractured toe after one inning, which cut short his chances of further auditioning.
Lopez, meanwhile, had a great season in Triple-A, hitting .293/.368/.551 in 223 plate appearances. The 30-year-old saw just 63 PAs with the Blue Jays late in the season, though, and has never established himself in the Majors to this point in his career (nor has he demonstrated the level of offensive prowess he did at Buffalo this season).