Rockies Acquire Jonathan Lucroy
The Rockies have officially struck a deal to acquire Rangers catcher Jonathan Lucroy, as Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network first reported (via Twitter). A player to be named later is going to Texas in return, per ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). (Note: the PTBNL cannot be a 2017 draft pick.)
[RELATED: Updated Rockies Depth Chart]
Lucroy, 31, was connected to the Rockies earlier today. The veteran receiver will help bolster a catching situation that has been less-than-ideal all year long. While Tom Murphy was expected to play a major role, he missed an extended stretch due to injury and was optioned after struggling upon his return. Tony Wolters has been over-extended as a regular, and neither Ryan Hanigan nor Dustin Garneau has shown much during their time in the majors this year.
Colorado will hope that Lucroy provides a steadying presence, both in the field and at the plate. He’s earning just $5.25MM on the year — just over $1.8MM of which remains — before reaching the open market at season’s end, so his acquisition won’t make a major dent in the club’s payroll.
But for this move to succeed, Lucroy will need to engineer a turnaround. Through his 306 plate appearances this year, the veteran is hitting just .242/.297/.338 with four home runs. And the questions aren’t limited to the offensive side of the equation. Once the poster boy for pitch framing, Lucroy has rated as perhaps the worst framer in baseball in 2017.
That output falls far shy of his typical work. From the start of his breakout 2012 season through the end of the 2016 campaign, Lucroy ran up a .291/.353/.465 slash line — numbers more commonly seen from quality corner outfielders than backstops. He also developed a reputation as a top-tier defensive catcher, driven especially by his outstanding abilities in the then-underappreciated art of pitch framing.
Whether the veteran can bounce back will surely be interesting to see. He has struck out in just 10.5% of his plate appearances this year, though he’s also walking at a lesser rate (6.2%) than usual. He has surely been a bit unfortunate with a .259 BABIP, though that hardly explains the massive power drop-off (from a career .153 isolated slugging to a current .096 mark). And it is concerning that Lucroy is making far less hard contact (22.3%) and putting the ball on the ground far more (56.2%) than he has typically. With respect to the framing downturn, it’s anyone’s guess whether he can return to his prior levels, though perhaps there’s reason to think that Lucroy will excel regardless in the-less quantifiable aspects of his craft behind the dish.
For the Rangers, meanwhile, the move perhaps begins what could be quite a busy stretch. The club has been rumored to be preparing to move star righty Yu Darvish, and will surely be listening to offers on a variety of other players. Relievers Keone Kela and Jeremy Jeffress are said to be available, while pending free agent hitters Carlos Gomez and Mike Napoli likely are as well.
It’s disappointing, surely, for the Rangers to be overseeing a sell-off in the midst of a season that started with lofty expectations. But the club is also undoubtedly right not to double down on a roster that had too many questions. That said, with numerous core pieces under contract for the foreseeable future, the expectation remains that the Rangers will be focused on moving pending free agents while reloading for another run in 2018.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Top 25 Deadline Day Trade Candidates
We are now within 24 hours of the trade deadline. Many players have already been moved and most teams have figured out their deadline stances — though, as ever, late-breaking developments can still force a change of plans.
As we enter the home stretch, we thought it’d be interesting to take one final snapshot of the major trade candidates left on the market. As always, the list is compiled with a view to assessing both trade likelihood and trade value (in all its facets). (Note: “LR” = “last ranked.”)
*Note: this post was published at 6:47pm CST on July 30th.
1. Sonny Gray (Athletics) & Yu Darvish (Rangers), SP (LR: 1, 55): These are the top two starters on the market. The controllable Gray looks especially likely to find a new home prior to Monday’s non-waiver deadline, while the Rangers are reportedly telling teams they’re now planning to move Darvish as well. Darvish was shelled in his last outing, but one start is hardly going to torpedo his value. His fastball velocity is strong as ever, and he’s still averaging nearly 10 K’s per nine innings.
3. Addison Reed, RH Reliever, Mets (LR: 2): There’s no better rental asset on the relief market than Reed, who has been a bullpen juggernaut since joining the Mets in 2015 (2.11 ERA, 10.0 K/9, 1.5 BB/9 in 141 innings). He’s still owed about $2.75MM this season.
4. Justin Wilson, LH Reliever, Tigers (LR: 3): With the Nationals, Cubs, Indians, Astros, Dodgers, Yankees, Brewers, Rockies and Red Sox all prominently linked to Wilson in the past few days alone, it seems impossible to imagine that the Tigers won’t be able to secure a big return for soon-to-be 30-year-old Wilson, whose career year is coming at the perfect time for the Tigers. Detroit’s reportedly looking for an Aroldis Chapman-esque return, though Wilson doesn’t have that track record or historically great velocity.
5. Brandon Kintzler, RH Reliever, Twins (LR: NR): Minnesota’s trade-deadline about-face leaves the team shopping a few assets. None is more clearly a trade chip than Kintzler, a pending free agent who has performed admirably in a late-inning role over the past two years. The sinkerballer is not getting quite as many grounders this year (53.9%) as last (61.9%), and doesn’t get very many swings and misses, but has posted a 2.78 ERA and logged 28 saves this year.
6. Joe Smith, RH Reliever, Blue Jays (LR: NR): Smith made it back from the DL just in time to display that he’s healthy for interested teams. With an affordable $3MM salary and a career-best average of 13 strikeouts per nine innings, he should go to a contender in need of setup help.
7. Alex Avila (Tigers) & Jonathan Lucroy (Rangers), C (LR: 12, 42): There are more catchers available than there are teams looking for help. Avila has been the most productive backstop in the AL this year on a rate basis — we all saw that coming, right? — while Lucroy’s production has tanked. But both figure to be available, and Lucroy was an elite option as recently as last season, so some teams could hope a change of scenery and a new environment proves to be revitalizing. Both are free agents at season’s end.
9. Yonder Alonso, 1B, Athletics (LR: 6): Alonso’s bat has gone cold over the past month, and the number of teams looking for help at first base/DH is even more limited now that the Rays have added Lucas Duda. The Yankees reportedly still have some interest, but they also already picked up Todd Frazier, moving Chase Headley across the diamond.
10. Jed Lowrie, INF, Athletics (LR: 8): It’s been quiet on the Lowrie front, which is surprising since he’s a versatile and affordable player that has slashed .265/.339/.436 while calling spacious O.Co Coliseum home (112 wRC+). He’s also got a cheap club option for the 2018 season. It still seems reasonable to expect that he’ll end up on a contender in need of some bench help.
11. Brad Hand, LH Reliever, Padres (LR: 3): There are increasing indications that the Padres will not drop their high asking price, though Hand’s value is very arguably approaching its apex. There could be some posturing on the Padres’ behalf, but they’ll be able to market him to a wider audience this offseason if they do indeed hang onto him.
12. Zach Britton (LH Reliever) & Brad Brach (RH Reliever), Orioles (LR: 18): It’d be a leap of faith for a team to part with elite prospect to take on Britton when he’s missed most of the season with a forearm injury and hasn’t pitched on consecutive days since being activated. A healthy Britton is one of the best relievers on the planet, but teams won’t know if that’s who they’re getting. Brach, meanwhile, is as steady as ever and is one of the top right-handed options on the market. He seems likelier to move than his teammate, though we’ve yet to hear much chatter.
Click to continue reading the list …
Cubs “Close” To Acquiring Justin Wilson
9:51pm: The Cubs are “close” to striking a deal with the Tigers that would deliver Wilson to Chicago, according to Heyman (via Twitter).
Candelario would indeed headline the package, per Nightengale (Twitter link), with the Cubs also landing Avila, per Rosenthal (via Twitter). Infield prospect Isaac Paredes would also be in the package, per Bruce Levine of 670theScore.com (Twitter link).
9:25pm: The Cubs, Dodgers, Astros, and Nationals are the four teams still vying to acquire Wilson, according to Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
Those four teams have been connected to Wilson at various points in the recent past, so it’s not surprising to see that they are now the apparent finalists. It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that the Nats already have quite a few lefties, including the recently acquired Sean Doolittle. And Houston is said to be somewhat more intrigued by Britton, as Sherman affirmed today on Twitter.
The Indians could yet be a “dark horse” on Wilson, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets, though it’s unclear as yet whether the AL Central rivals have engaged in earnest.
7:58pm: There’s active bidding between the Cubs and Dodgers, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter).
Candelario is in play in a deal that could send both Wilson and catcher Alex Avila to Chicago, Feinsand adds on Twitter. Avila has long been seen as a target for the Cubs.
7:47pm: There’s some buzz that the Cubs may be the favorite to land Wilson. MLB.com’s Phil Rogers noted Chicago’s ongoing interest on Twitter, Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network said the Cubs were “working hard” to land Wilson (via Twitter), and now Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that the Cubbies are “closing in” on a deal for Wilson.
Notably, top Chicago prospect Jeimer Candelario is out of the lineup tonight, per Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register (via Twitter), with Sherman suggesting Detroit has keen interest in him.
7:29pm: The Tigers are expected to make a trade involving lefty Justin Wilson this evening, sources tell MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (Twitter link). Just where the southpaw might be headed isn’t yet clear, however.
Wilson, 29, has drawn interest from numerous contending teams. With the Tigers having already traded away star outfielder J.D. Martinez, there’s little question that the club is willing to move its best reliever.
With a favorable contract situation, it’s unsurprising that as many as five teams are still pursuing Wilson at this point, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). The offers have increased steadily, so much as that it’s now certain that Wilson will be moved before the non-waiver trade deadline tomorrow.
It’s important to note, too, that Wilson is one of three premium lefties on the market, with Brad Hand of the Padres and Zach Britton of the Orioles also seemingly available for the right price. The interplay between those three, who are drawing many of the same suitors, will be an important storyline to watch unfold tonight and early tomorrow.
Chris Owings Diagnosed With Fractured Finger
7:42pm: Arizona is “unlikely” to shop for another infielder, per Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network (via Twitter). The club thinks its depth is sufficient, particularly with Ahmed expected to return within a month or so.
4:41pm: Diamondbacks infielder Chris Owings has been diagnosed with a fractured middle finger on his right hand, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic tweets. While details on an anticipated course of treatment and timeline aren’t known, he’ll obviously be out for a reasonably extended stretch.
With Owings joining Nick Ahmed on the DL, the D-Backs are left with quite a bit less middle-infield depth than they had to open the year. Ketel Marte and Brandon Drury look to represent the top two options on the active roster, with Daniel Descalso also available in a reserve role.
The loss hits the Snakes at an interesting time, with the trade deadline less than 24 hours away. Whether Arizona will feel any major new impetus to pursuing a trade remains to be seen. Owings is now in a state of uncertainty and Ahmed has yet to begin a rehab assignment. But Marte has played well since returning to the majors and Descalso won’t be needed as much in the outfield as he was at times due to the recent addition of J.D. Martinez.
If the D-Backs do take a look at the market, they could consider a variety of options. MLBTR has recently assessed the potentially available shortstops and second basemen. Among those of note are Zack Cozart of the Reds, though he just landed on the DL. Jose Iglesias of the Tigers would represent a controllable piece and is capable of providing top-notch defense at shortstop, though he has never been much with the bat. If the Diamondbacks don’t feel they need a player capable of lining up at short, they could focus on rentals such as Jed Lowrie of the A’s or Neil Walker of the Mets.
As ought to be apparent from some of the names mentioned, there may not be much rush to finding a replacement. Arizona may prefer to see how its injured players progress while waiting to weigh new acquisitions over the month of August. Cozart figures to be available then, and Walker may be as well given that he only just returned from the DL and is earning a big salary. Veterans such as Brandon Phillips, Asdrubal Cabrera, and even Ian Kinsler are also plausible chips that could last past tomorrow’s non-waiver deadline.
Red Sox, Mets Discussing Addison Reed Trade
5:32pm: Boston has also “kicked the tires” on Twins righty Brandon Kintzler, per Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press (via Twitter). The interest in Kintzler was noted recently, though it’s notable that the sides are evidently still in touch to some degree with the deadline drawing near. Still, it seems he and others are not the top priority for the Sox.
2:47pm: There’s one other team that is also a “serious suitor” for Reed at this time, tweets Newsday’s Marc Carig. Still, though, nothing is close at present, WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford notes on Twitter.
2:01pm: Earlier this morning, MLB Network’s Ken Rosenthal reported that Mets closer Addison Reed was a “focus” for the Red Sox, and there’s increasing talk about Reed potentially heading to Boston in a deal. Sean McAdam of BostonSportsJournal.com reports that talks between the two sides have begun to heat up, though a deal isn’t yet close to finalization. ESPN’s Buster Olney adds that there are “about five” teams left in the running for Reed, though the Red Sox are the only one he specifies by name.
The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, meanwhile, reports that the Sox are focused solely on late-inning relief help at this point. According to Speier, Reed is “at or near the top” of Boston’s wishlist, while deals for left-handers Justin Wilson (Tigers) and Brad Hand (Padres) are unlikely.
The 28-year-old Reed has dominated opposing hitters since donning a Mets jersey in 2015, working to a pristine 2.09 ERA with 9.9 K/9 against 1.5 BB/9 in 142 innings. He’s spent much of the season closing for the Mets with Jeurys Familia unavailable (first due to a suspension, then an injury), but he’d shift into a setup role for Craig Kimbrel were the Sox and Mets to complete a deal. Reed would be complemented by righties Matt Barnes, Heath Hembree and Joe Kelly (who is nearing a return from the disabled list) as well as left-handers Fernando Abad and Robby Scott. A free agent at season’s end, Reed is earning $7.75MM in 2017 and is still owed roughly $2.7MM of that sum through the end of the regular season.
Sonny Gray Trade Rumors: Sunday
Sonny Gray‘s scheduled Sunday start has already been pushed back to Monday, and as of yesterday, the Yankees were widely rumored to be the favorite to land the Oakland ace. Generally, though, the state of play does not appear to have changed all that much much as of this afternoon. Still, there will be plenty of rumors on Gray flying around from this point forward, and we’ll track them all in this post…
- Indications from this morning are that the Yankees remain focused on pursuing Gray rather than a rental arm, as Jon Heyman of Fan Rag writes. New York has added lefty Jaime Garcia from the Twins, of course, but that acquisition reportedly will not deter their pursuit of Gray — who’d likely bump Garcia to the pen if he’s added.
- At this point, though, talks between the Yanks and A’s are at something of a stalemate, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. There are suggestions on both sides that the teams will stick to their valuations even with the pressure of the deadline. And that means there’s somewhat “less optimism” that there’ll be a deal sending Gray to the Bronx. Indeed, per Sherman, there hasn’t been much new dialogue of note between New York and Oakland over the last day.
- Meanwhile, the Dodgers are still talking with the A’s about Gray, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweets. But it’s also possible, he notes, that the ongoing dialogue is as much about maintaining leverage as it is due to serious, mutual interest.
Mets Designate Josh Edgin
The Mets have designated lefty Josh Edgin for assignment, per a club announcement. His roster spot will go to just-acquired righty AJ Ramos.
Edgin, 30, mostly functions as a lefty specialist; he could still end up landing with a contender in such a function, either by trade or by claim. He is earning just $675K for the 2017 season, with two more years of arb control remaining after the current campaign.
Though he maintains a 3.75 ERA, Edgin’s peripherals aren’t quite as rosy,with 6.6 K/9 to go with 4.4 BB/9 and a 47.4% groundball rate. His average velocity has never recovered from the 1.5 mph or so he lost upon returning from Tommy John surgery. And he has allowed a .280/.372/.400 batting line to left-handed hitters on the year, which is not optimal for a situation southpaw.
That said, Edgin has performed much better historically against same-handed hitters. And his swinging-strike rate still sits at 9.7%, the same as it was last year when he managed 11 strikeouts in his 10 1/3 innings. On the whole, particularly given the salary considerations, it seems reasonable to anticipate that Edgin will land on a MLB roster before his period of DFA limbo expires.
Rangers Claim Tyler Smith Off Waivers
Infielder Tyler Smith, who was designated for assignment by the Mariners last week, was claimed off waivers today by the Rangers, according to an announcement from the Mariners.
Smith, 26, made his Major League debut with the Mariners this summer and appeared in 10 games, though he totaled just 19 plate appearances with a .188/.263/.250 slash in that minuscule sample. The second baseman/shortstop was hitting .239/.330/.347 with six homers and four steals through 330 PAs with Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma this season and figures to serve as infield depth in the upper minors with Texas for the time being.
Royals Acquire Melky Cabrera
The Royals have acquired outfielder Melky Cabrera and cash from the White Sox in exchange for minor league righty A.J. Puckett and minor league lefty Andre Davis, the White Sox announced. Kansas City has designated minor league righty Andrew Edwards for assignment in a corresponding roster move, tweets MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan. MLB Network’s Ken Rosenthal tweets that the White Sox are paying about half of the roughly $5.2MM that Cabrera is still owed on this year’s $15MM salary. Cabrera is a free agent at season’s end.
[Related: Updated Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox depth charts]
Cabrera, 32, will return for his second stint with the Royals — though things are different in Kansas City this time around. Cabrera had a fine year in Royal Blue back in 2011, hitting .305/.339/.470 with 18 homers and 20 steals as a 26-year-old. However, the Royals finished out that season 20 games below .500 and finished fourth in the American League Central.
Now in his second Royals tenure, Cabrera joins the team not as an up and coming outfielder but as an established veteran that will be inserted into a potential playoff contender’s lineup. The switch-hitter has a strong .295/.336/.436 batting line through 428 plate appearances this season, and he’s been especially effective against left-handed pitching (.296/.327/.500). That was surely an area of focus for GM Dayton Moore with tomorrow’s non-waiver deadline approaching, as the Royals have posted a collective .250/.305/.415 — good for just an 87 wRC+ that ranks 20th in the Majors.
For the White Sox, the 22-year-old Puckett is the more highly regarded pickup in this deal. The Pepperdine product was selected with the 67th overall pick in the 2016 draft and ranks as the Royals’ No. 13 prospect, per Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. In 108 1/3 innings this season, Puckett has worked to a 3.90 ERA with 8.1 K/9, 3.8 BB/9 and a 48.9 percent ground-ball rate. Callis and Mayo note that Puckett is more about pitchability than power, with a 90-94 mph fastball and a plus changeup. Their report also pegs the 6’4″, 200-pound righty’s control at above-average, despite the 3.8 BB/9 rate that Puckett has turned in this season.
Davis, 23, was the Royals’ eighth-rounder in 2015 and has spent the season pitching against younger competition in Class-A Lexington. In 85 2/3 innings out of the rotation, he’s posted a 4.82 ERA with 9.1 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 43.9 percent grounder rate. He’s been exclusively a starter this season, but if that track doesn’t pan out, Davis’ numbers against lefties in Class-A are solid; he’s held same-handed opponents to a .216/.289/.352 batting line through 97 plate appearances in 2017.
Edwards, 25, has spent the bulk of the 2017 season with Kansas City’s Double-A affiliate in Northwest Arkansas. He’s punched out 34 hitters in 30 2/3 innings but has also struggled to a 7.92 ERA after allowing 45 hits and 14 walks in that same time frame.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Mariners Designate D.J. Peterson For Assignment
The Mariners announced that former top prospect D.J. Peterson has been designated for assignment. His roster spot goes to Leonys Martin, who is back with the Mariners after having his contract selected. The M’s also added Erasmo Ramirez to the active roster following the recent trade with the Rays, placed Mitch Haniger on the 10-day DL with a facial laceration and optioned Cody Martin to Triple-A Tacoma.
Peterson, 25, was selected by the Mariners with the 12th overall pick in the 2013 draft and was considered to be among the game’s top 100 prospects in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 offseasons. However, his glovework at third base was never considered to be especially strong — he’s split his time between both corner infield spots in recent years — and his bat has stalled at the Triple-A level. In parts of three seasons with Seattle’s affiliate in Tacoma, he’s posted a pedestrian .260/.316/.418 batting line. While those numbers aren’t terrible, they’re fairly light for a bat-first prospect that will turn 26 years old this winter.
Peterson does still have a pair of option years remaining beyond the 2017 season, so clubs that are light on upper-level bats could either claim him on waivers or work out a trade with always-active GM Jerry Dipoto prior to his placement on waivers.