Brewers Reportedly Looking Into Jose Quintana, Sonny Gray
The Brewers are the surprise leaders of the National League Central as the All-Star break approaches, and Jon Morosi of MLB.com writes that they’ve begun doing “background work” on White Sox lefty Jose Quintana and Athletics righty Sonny Gray in advance of the non-waiver trade deadline. Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel tweets that any pitcher the Brewers acquire this summer would have to be controllable beyond the current season.
Milwaukee’s place atop the standings was unexpected for most, but it’s not much of a surprise to see them linked to controllable arms. As we noted when listing Milwaukee as a potential fit for Gray last week, assets of this nature mesh with the Brewers’ current status as contenders as well as their longer-term rebuilding vision that’s ahead of schedule thanks to breakouts from Jimmy Nelson, Corey Knebel, Travis Shaw and Eric Thames, among others. That rebuilding effort, it should be noted, has left Milwaukee with one of the game’s top-ranked minor league systems.
[Related: Milwaukee Brewers Depth Chart]
Quintana can be controlled through the 2020 season via a guaranteed $8.85MM salary next season and a pair of club options for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, which are respectively valued at $10.5MM and $11MM. Gray, meanwhile, is earning $3.575MM in 2017 and will be eligible for arbitration in each of the next two winters before reaching free agency upon completion of the 2019 campaign. Either player would easily fit into a Milwaukee payroll that is among the game’s lowest in 2017 and has just $25MM committed to two players (Ryan Braun and Thames) in each of the next two seasons.
Neither Gray nor Quintana has numbers that are immediately eye-catching, but each has shown signs of life after poor starts to the season. In his past six outings, Quintana has averaged 9.1 K/9 against 3.6 BB/9 with a 54.8 percent ground-ball rate, leading to a 2.34 ERA in that span. Gray, meanwhile, has averaged 8.7 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9 with a 51.3 percent grounder rate across his past seven outings, resulting in a 3.45 ERA.
The Brewers have received 104 sensational innings from Nelson this season, but their second-best starter, Chase Anderson, recently landed on the disabled list due to an oblique strain and could miss up to six weeks. Matt Garza has enjoyed a resurgence in 2017 after a pair of sub-par seasons, but Milwaukee’s rotation has been spotty beyond that trio. Zach Davies is second on the team in innings but carries a 4.90 ERA, while Junior Guerra missed the first six weeks of the season and hasn’t come close to last year’s success when healthy. Wily Peralta, meanwhile, has 6.08 ERA through eight starts.
Given those struggles and their reported desire to upgrade the 2017 roster, Milwaukee figures to be linked to a number of rotation options over the next three weeks. (Morosi speculatively links them to Toronto lefty J.A. Happ as well.) The Brewers currently sit 4.5 games ahead of the Cubs and 5.5 games ahead of the Cardinals in the NL Central.
Nationals To Sign First-Rounder Seth Romero
The Nationals have finalized a deal with first-rounder Seth Romero, who has passed his physical and officially signed a contract, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports (Twitter links). He’ll take home a $2.8MM bonus that comes in a bit above his $2,530,400 draft slot, Heyman adds. Romero was advised by and is now represented by agent Scott Boras.
A left-handed pitcher out of the University of Houston, Romero would likely have gone higher in the draft than the 25th overall selection (where Washington took him) had it not been for significant makeup concerns. Romero was kicked off the team in Houston a month before the draft after repeated off-field incidents, including a failed drug test, a physical altercation with one of his teammates and being photographed holding a bong in full uniform, per a separate pair of reports from the Houston Chronicle’s Joseph Duarte.
Romero ranked 24th on MLB.com’s list of the top 200 draft prospects, while Baseball America ranked him 27th on their top 500, Fangraphs ranked him 36th and ESPN’s Keith Law ranked him 59th. The aforementioned makeup issues factored into each of those rankings, as BA and Law both called him a top 10 talent based purely on his pitching acumen. Romero’s fastball sits in the 92-95 mph range and reaches 97, and the pitch is complemented by a plus slider and potentially above-average changeup. BA also notes that he’s advanced enough to help out a big league bullpen later this year, though the Nats told reporters after the draft that they view Romero as a starter.
NL Central Notes: Greene, Epstein, Iglesias, Cole
The Reds will have until 5pm EST on Friday to reach agreement with second overall pick Hunter Greene. As MLB.com’s Jim Callis explains, he’s among a few top picks who have yet to agree to terms, but is still expected to do so. Indeed, as Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer further explains, it’d rate as quite a surprise if Greene doesn’t take a record-setting bonus offer to turn pro before the deadline.
Here’s more from the NL Central:
- Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein warned today that outside additions won’t solve the club’s woes, as Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com was among those to report. Epstein says the defending World Series champs “can’t force anything” at the trade deadline. Whatever changes to the roster are ultimately made, he says, the organization’s “biggest fixes are inside the clubhouse.” That hardly establishes (or even really suggests) that Chicago won’t look to improve at the deadline, of course. And it certainly doesn’t hint that Epstein lacks in confidence in the existing talent. Indeed, he also says he expects the club to return to the high level of play it has carried over the past two seasons. Caveats aside, Epstein did indicate that the Cubs aren’t exactly looking to structure any deadline blockbusters. “We’ll do what we can to look to augment that,” he said, “but there’s not going to be a fundamental shift in the player personnel that we have.”
- The Reds may or may not have much interest in dealing away 27-year-old reliever Raisel Iglesias, but other teams are surely eyeing the quality righty and his appealing contract. It’s unsurprising to hear, then, that the closer-needy Nationals have at least some degree of interest in Iglesias, as MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweets. On paper, the fit is plenty clear. But it remains to be seen what kind of asking price the Reds will place on Iglesias — who is currently sitting on a 1.59 ERA while maintaining a jump in velocity this year — and whether the Nats will be willing to offload significant prospects to get him.
- Similarly, rival organizations are surely wonder whether the Pirates have any inclination to take offers on righty Gerrit Cole. There’s nothing definitive in that regard, but Jon Heyman of Fan Rag writes (among many other National League notes) that the Bucs are giving indication that Cole isn’t likely to be traded. Perhaps an overwhelming offer could shift the thinking, but it seems clear that Pittsburgh isn’t itching to cash in on Cole with two more years of arbitration control remaining — particularly with his value perhaps tipping down somewhat. While he has been healthy, Cole has had the roughest year of his career thus far, allowing 1.59 home runs per nine and carrying a 4.43 ERA over 107 2/3 frames.
Minor MLB Transactions: 7/6/17
Here are Thursday’s minor moves from around the game…
- The Yankees announced that outfielder Mason Williams has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Williams, 25, has seen brief MLB action in each of the past three seasons. But he was struggling badly on the year at Triple-A, posting a .252/.298/.296 batting line over 251 plate appearances.
- Outfielder Michael Reed has been outrighted off the Brewers‘ 40-man roster to Double-A, per a club announcement. Milwaukee did not announce a corresponding roster move. The 24-year-old Reed has played in 15 major league ballgames since the start of the 2015 season, but now loses his 40-man spot. While the NL Central-leading Brewers haven’t yet filled it, they’ll be hunting for additions at the deadline and are already loaded with other young outfielders. Reed will remain at Biloxi, where he owns a .209/.347/.356 slash in 199 trips to the plate.
Marlins Notes: Trade Targets, Volquez, Sale Progress
Here’s the latest out of Miami:
- With the team set to be sold at some point in the near future, the Marlins appear to be lining up for some significant moves at the deadline. As Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports, the Fish appear to be targeting a few organizations in particular as they look to shop their biggest contracts. Marlins scouts are taking a hard look at the systems of the Yankees, Red Sox, Brewers, Rockies, and Cubs, per the report. Whether that’s based upon demand coming from those organizations or instead Miami’s own interest in certain prospects isn’t entirely clear; obviously, plenty of other teams will likely end up engaging with the Marlins in what is shaping up to be an interesting deadline period.
- Miami is not concerned about righty Edinson Volquez, Spencer also notes. Though he experienced left-knee discomfort in his most recent start, skipper Don Mattingly suggested the veteran will be ready to go after the All-Star break. He could well be one of the players dangled in trade talks over the next few weeks.
- The less-than-straightforward Marlins sale process remains in flux as the organization prepares to host the All-Star Game. Bidding groups led by Tagg Romney, on the one hand, and Derek Jeter, on the other, have each run into issues, according to a report from Claire Atinson, Ken Davidoff, and Josh Kosman of the New York Post. In fact, the Romney group may even have pulled out of the process altogether, per the report. Jeter’s group, meanwhile, no longer has the backing of one key investor. That could place a third bidder, Jorge Mas, in position to make a deal. But it’s also possible that Jeter could try to “convince MLB to push back a decision date … possibly to the end of the season in October,” sources tell the Post.
- Mas has attempted to get the Marlins to agree to an exclusive negotiating window, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag, but that has yet to occur. Still, the report suggests, the process could be only weeks away from completion. While Mas is said to be in the driver’s seat, Heyman hears that the Romney-led group may still be involved.
Astros Agree To Terms With First-Rounder J.B. Bukauskas
4:25pm: Bukauskas will get a $3.6MM bonus, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (via Twitter), which lands just $11,800 over the 15th pick’s allotment.
10:56am: The Astros have agreed to terms with first-round pick J.B. Bukauskas, reports Mark Berman of Houston’s FOX 26 (on Twitter). The former UNC right-hander is in Houston to complete his physical and formally sign his contract.
Bukauskas was a top draft prospect out of high school back in 2014, though he fell to the 20th round after asking teams not to select him. The D-backs took a shot on swaying him anyhow, though he rather predictably honored his commitment to North Carolina. This time around, he entered the draft rated as the No. 6 overall prospect, per Baseball America. Meanwhile, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com ranked him seventh, while ESPN’s Keith Law rated him ninth and Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen ranked him 12th.
Bukauskas is a bit undersized, as he’s listed at 6’0″ and 195 pounds, though scouting reports across the board give him credit for a plus fastball and slider combination. Baseball America, in fact, calls his slider “the nation’s best breaking pitch,” noting that it consistently receives 70-grade ratings on the 20-80 scale, with some scouts placing an 80 on the pitch. He also has a changeup that has, in the past rated as an above-average offering but was rarely used this past season with the Tar Heels. Callis and Mayo, like others, note that there’s concern that he could end up pitching out of the bullpen, though they add that if he does ultimately prove to be a reliever, Bukauskas has closer upside.
Orioles Designate David Washington, Select Johnny Giavotella
The Orioles have announced a series of roster moves today. Baltimore has selected the contract of infielder Johnny Giavotella, optioning lefty Jayson Aquino and designating first baseman/outfielder David Washington for assignment to create roster space.
Giavotella, 29, will appear in the majors for the seventh consecutive season. Over that span, he has compiled a.256/.295/.361 batting line over 1,334 total MLB plate appearances. The biggest chunk of that time came over the past two seasons, when Giavotella saw regular duties at second for the Angels before being demoted and then cut loose last year.
As for the 26-year-old Washington, this season brought his first taste of the big leagues. He stayed up only briefly, however, failing to register a hit in six plate appearances. Washington has hit quite well at Triple-A, as he did in 2016, with a .282/.336/.510 slash and 13 home runs in his 277 plate appearances.
MLBTR Chat Transcript: 7/6/17
Click here to read a transcript of today’s chat with host Jeff Todd.
White Sox Designate Michael Ynoa For Assignment
The White Sox announced Thursday that they’ve reinstated closer David Robertson from the paternity list and designated righty Michael Ynoa for assignment in order to clear a spot on the roster.
Ynoa was once one of the most promising prospects ever to come out of the Dominican Republic, signing with the Athletics for a then-record $4.25MM back in 2008. He rated as the game’s No. 54 prospect the following offseason, per Baseball America, but he never delivered on that considerable potential. Elbow soreness and tendinitis wiped out his first year as a pro, and that was followed by Tommy John surgery a year later. Upon returning, he delivered mostly middling results in the Athletics’ minor league system.
Now 25 years of age, Ynoa made his MLB debut with the Sox last year, pitching to a 3.00 ERA in 30 innings but limped to a 5.90 mark through a nearly identical sample size of 29 frames with the 2017 Sox. He’s shown some ability to miss bats, but control has been an issue for Ynoa, who has a 53-to-39 K/BB ratio through his 59 Major League innings to date. He also experienced a significant dip in fastball velocity this season (though he still averaged 92.4 mph), while each of his strikeout, walk, home run and grounder rates trended in the wrong direction.
Royals In Market For Pitching Upgrades, May Pursue Rotation Rentals
On the heels of a 22-10 run over their past 32 contests, the Royals are in the market for upgrades in both their rotation and the bullpen, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman.
“We’re evaluating the landscape, and paying close attention to what may be available in the pitching market,” GM Dayton Moore tells Heyman. “…We’re looking to improve our roster and make it more balanced for the second half. … I don’t know why anyone thought we’d be sellers.” Those comments largely back up recent statements made by manager Ned Yost on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM and to reporters following last night’s game (link via the Kansas City Star’s Rustin Dodd).
Heyman goes on to add that the Royals aren’t likely to have too much payroll flexibility due to the fact that they entered the season with a franchise-record $145MM payroll. However, there’s a belief that Kansas City is open to adding a veteran starter on an expiring contract, according to Heyman. A look at MLBTR’s list of 2017-18 free agents shows starters that fit the bill, though obviously not all of those arms are available in trades, and some may not fit into an apparently tight Royals budget.
The following names are purely my own speculation, but if the Royals are aiming to add affordable rotation rentals, any of this bunch could make some sense (listed from lowest salary to highest salary):
- Trevor Cahill: Cahill was only just activated off the disabled list after missing seven weeks due to a strained right shoulder. While he doesn’t come with much in the way of name value these days, Cahill has broken out in his return to a big league rotation, throwing 45 2/3 innings with 10.8 K/9, 3.7 BB/9 and a 62.3 percent ground-ball rate. That’s led to a 2.96 ERA that is backed by a 2.98 FIP, 3.25 xFIP and 3.51 SIERA. He’s earning just $1.75MM in 2017, so from a financial standpoint, he’s an ideal fit.
- Jhoulys Chacin: Teammates with Cahill, Chacin is also earning $1.75MM this year. He’s been the more durable of the two, and although he posted terrible numbers early in the year, he’s logged a 2.98 ERA with a 39-to-15 K/BB ratio and a 50.4 percent grounder rate over his past 42 1/3 innings. He’s hardly an impact upgrade, but right now it doesn’t look like there’ll be an impact rental available at all.
- Scott Feldman: The 34-year-old has been the Reds’ best starter this season, turning in 102 2/3 innings of 3.94 ERA ball. Feldman’s 7.5 K/9 mark is the best of his career, and he’s averaging a reasonable 2.9 walks per nine innings with a 45 percent ground-ball rate. Despite playing his home games at Great American Ball Park, he’s managed to limit home runs (1.1 HR/9). Feldman has a cheap $2.3MM base salary, though he’s already added $1.3MM worth of incentives and will tack on another $300K after his 20th start. Since this is all speculative anyhow, the Reds have a number of shorter-term bullpen pieces that could move (e.g. Drew Storen, Blake Wood) plus a shortstop that would be a significant upgrade for the Royals’ infield.
- Alex Cobb: It’s worth debating whether Cobb will even be available because of the fact that the Rays are contending, but Tampa Bay will almost certainly lose him for nothing this offseason as a free agent rather than make him a qualifying offer that could top $18MM. Cobb carries a 4.01 ERA with 6.1 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 44.6 percent grounder rate in 107 2/3 innings. He hasn’t been the borderline ace that he was prior to Tommy John surgery, but he’s earning an affordable $4.2MM. From the Rays’ vantage point, they’ll get Matt Andriese back in August while Jose De Leon and Blake Snell wait in the wings for full-time rotation spots. And, Jacob Faria has already laid claim to a starting job with five brilliant starts.
- Derek Holland: Holland has given the division-rival White Sox 16 starts of 4.52 ERA ball and a total of 87 1/3 innings, but his production has cratered over the past month or so. He’s averaging 7.8 K/9 but 3.7 BB/9 and 1.75 HR/9. Metrics like FIP, xFIP and SIERA all actually feel that he’s been somewhat fortunate to hold down that 4.52 ERA. Holland is affordable, though, with a $6MM base salary and $2MM worth of incentives ($1MM for reaching 150 innings and another $1MM for 200 frames).
- Lance Lynn: As is the case with Cobb, Lynn is no lock to be available. The Cards are a manageable 5.5 games out of the NL Central lead and may take their deadline course of action down to the wire. However, they could also simply slide Luke Weaver into Lynn’s rotation spot, so there’s room to move him even if they still aim to contend. Lynn has a 3.87 ERA with 8.6 K/9, 3.5 BB/9 and a 42.3 percent ground-ball rate through 95 1/3 innings in his first year back from Tommy John. But, he’s also been torched for 1.9 HR/9, as 19.6 percent of the fly-balls he’s yielded have left the yard. That’s a 10 percent departure from his career mark of 9.3 percent, so perhaps the home run spike is somewhat fluky. If the Royals (or another club) believes him capable of reigning in the homers, Lynn’s $7.5MM salary is hardly backbreaking.
- Jaime Garcia: Garcia has bombed over his past four starts, allowing five runs or more in each outing. He’s still sporting a 4.55 ERA on the season with a 54.3 percent ground-ball rate, 6.7 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9. None of those are especially eye-catching, and the Royals may well wish the Braves to pay down some of the $5.7MM that remains on his $12MM salary. The Braves, though, are surely open to moving Garcia, who looks to be a steadier option than the Royals’ current fifth starter, Travis Wood.
Other potentially available rentals include Jeremy Hellickson, Johnny Cueto, Marco Estrada and Francisco Liriano, though each of that bunch makes more than anyone listed here and/or has struggled on the mound thus far. Yu Darvish would be the only potential ace that’d be available as a rental, but he’s reportedly likely to stay put even if the Rangers fall out of the race, and the asking price on him would be exorbitant anyhow.
From a broader perspective, Moore’s comments seem to throw cold water on any suggestion that Kansas City would entertain the thought of trading key impending free agents like Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, Jason Vargas and Mike Minor. (Alcides Escobar, too, is a free agent, though his lack of production makes him a tough sell as a trade candidate anyhow.) Those names have all recently fallen off of MLBTR’s list of this summer’s top 60 trade candidates.