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Reds Notes: Cozart, Votto, Rotation, Mesoraco

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The Reds look to be in for a relatively quiet offseason, writes C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer, though GM Dick Williams did acknowledge that he’ll remain open to trade scenarios involving Zack Cozart at this week’s GM Meetings. “He can be a part of grooming players and he can be a part of a winning clubhouse,” said Williams of his veteran shortstop. “But if there’s something that really puts the franchise in a better position for ’18 and ’19 that works, it’s something we’d have to consider. We’ve shown the willingness to trade guys who have been with us if it helps us get better.” Williams also said that both Jose Peraza and Dilson Herrera will get opportunities next year, though the timing of those opportunities is tied to what the Reds accomplish this offseason. Rosecrans adds that solidifying the bench with a right-handed-hitting outfielder and adding to the team’s bullpen are on the to-do list this winter.

A few more notes on the Reds…

  • Cincinnati has “no intention” of trading Joey Votto, tweets USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Votto’s name has come up a bit over the past few months due to reports of some prior trade talks with the Blue Jays, but a trade has never seemed especially likely due to the fact that Votto is owed $179MM over the next seven seasons and has full no-trade rights. The star first baseman has previously said he hopes to remain in Cincinnati despite the team’s rebuilding status at the moment, and Nightengale notes that the Reds value his leadership with a wave of young players on the horizon.
  • While the Reds’ rotation is largely set for next season — Anthony DeSclafani, Brandon Finnegan, Dan Straily and Homer Bailey are all penciled in at the moment — Williams wouldn’t rule out the possibility of signing a veteran starter this winter, writes MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. The Reds have a number of young options lined up to compete for that fifth spot already, including Cody Reed, Amir Garrett and Robert Stephenson, but Williams sounded open to adding to that mix. “There’s certainly a chance we could sign starting pitchers,” he said. “Whether they’ll be targeted with a Minor League deal to serve as a Triple-A starter or whether we’ll go after a starting pitcher remains to be seen. We have good competition there, but it’s young guys. We have a bunch of young guys for that last spot.”
  • Also via Sheldon, Williams said that the team expects Devin Mesoraco to be ready for Opening Day of the 2017 season, but the team is looking at contingency plans this winter after seeing Mesoraco play in just 38 games over the past two seasons. Mesoraco signed a four-year, $28MM contract extension prior to the 2015 campaign, but he’s had two hip surgeries and a shoulder surgery since that time, which has kept him from delivering any on-field value to the Reds over that time. “I think it’s important to prepare a contingency plan,” said Williams. “…We probably have to do some of that now. You can’t wait until after mid-January to come up with a plan. The fact that we’re optimistic that he’ll be back means you’re not going to try to go big on catching. … We’re optimistic he’ll open the season ready for catch, but probably on some sort of schedule.” As Sheldon notes, adding a veteran backstop on a low-cost or minor league deal makes sense for the Reds. Mesoraco will begin catching in mid- or late January, and he’ll share time behind the dish with Tucker Barnhart once again in 2017.

Jeremy Hellickson Leaning Toward Rejecting Qualifying Offer

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Agent Scott Boras wouldn’t comment definitively on whether Jeremy Hellickson plans to accept or reject the Phillies’ $17.2MM qualifying offer on Wednesday, writes CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury, but Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets that Hellickson has been advised to do so. Additionally, FanRag’s Jon Heyman reports that Hellickson is leaning toward declining the offer.

It’d come as a shock if Hellickson were to accept the QO, as he’s one of only a select few starters that can reasonably expect to command a strong multi-year deal this winter. Hellickson joins lefty Rich Hill and fellow righty Ivan Nova atop a historically thin market for starting pitching. On the heels of a 3.71 ERA with 7.3 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 and a 40.7 percent ground-ball rate in 189 innings of work, Hellickson has a strong enough case that we pegged him seventh among free agents this winter and projected a four-year, $60MM contract for the former AL Rookie of the Year. And, as Heyman points out, Hellickson’s quality work dates back to the second half of the 2015 campaign with the D-backs. While that year was a disappointment overall, Hellickson did indeed have a nice run to close out the year, logging a 3.86 ERA with 7.2 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 42.8 percent grounder rate following the All-Star Game — numbers that look quite similar to his 2016 output.

As Salisbury writes, Boras said there’s already been considerable interest in Hellickson, which is to be expected given the dearth of options in free agency. “In this market, he’s probably the foremost young, under-30 pitcher,” said Boras. “You know, he had a 3.71 ERA in Philadelphia, which is an offensive ballpark. … He’s a guy that’s got the highest spin rate on a breaking ball. He has a lot of components that tell you why he’s successful — his command, changeup, breaking ball — and that’s creating a lot of interest for a lot of teams. And in a free-agent marketplace short on starting pitching — it’s very advantageous for him.”

If Hellickson does hit the open market — which seems exceptionally likely — it’s difficult to envision him re-signing with the Phillies. General manager Matt Klentak spoke to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi about Hellickson today at the GM Meetings (video link), telling him: “The fully honest answer is I’m happy and content either way. If we get Jeremy Hellickson back on a one-year deal, that’s great. He’s really good, and having a starting pitcher on a short-term deal is something that I’ll take every time. Conversely, if he ends up testing free agency, I’ll be rooting for him. I hope he gets every penny he’s worth, but we’ll be happy to take the draft pick.”

Hellickson and the other nine players that received qualifying offers from their respective teams have until Monday to determine whether they’ll accept or reject the offer, although any of those free agents can technically sign a deal before that deadline (which would be considered the equivalent of rejecting the QO). That’s a rare outcome, of course, though Michael Cuddyer signed a two-year deal with the Mets two years ago in the week between receiving a QO from the Rockies and the deadline to accept or decline. However, there’s been no indication that any of the free agents to receive a QO are anywhere near a decision.

Latest On Greg Holland

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Former Royals closer and current free agent Greg Holland held a showcase for interested teams that was attended by roughly 18 clubs on Monday. Since that time, he’s been an oft-discussed name and has been connected to numerous clubs around the league. There’s yet to be an indication as to when or where the two-time All-Star will sign, but here’s the latest on his market…

  • Agent Scott Boras told reporters today that Holland won’t be holding another showcase (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan). While Holland’s velocity wasn’t anywhere near its previous levels, Boras noted that the workout demonstrated that his client is healthy, which is what teams were more interested in. Certainly, given the fact that Holland is just over a year removed from Tommy John surgery, it’s not a surprise that his fastball was topping out in the low 90s as opposed to his previous 96 mph average. It’s reasonable to expect his velocity to continue ramping up as he regains strength and further distances himself from his operation.
  • Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star writes that Boras said Holland will be open to pitching in non-closing roles next season, so his market needn’t be limited to teams that have a potential vacancy in the ninth inning. Boras tabbed Holland as a potential “HeLP” pitcher — a “High-Leverage Premium” arm that could be used in a similar capacity to the way in which Kenley Jansen, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman were used during the postseason. The Royals are believed to have interest in a Holland reunion, Dodd adds, although Boras told reporters that more than half of the teams in the league have reached out to him this week.
  • The Red Sox are showing “strong” interest in Holland, tweets WEEI’s Rob Bradford, who adds that the right-hander will take about six weeks off following his showcase before he resumes his offseason throwing program. Boston already has a big-name closer in Craig Kimbrel, but they’re losing three setup arms in Brad Ziegler, Koji Uehara and Junichi Tazawa, so their interest in relief help is plenty logical.
  • The Nationals watched Holland on Monday, writes Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post. General manager Mike Rizzo spoke a bit about Holland’s market, implying that an incentivized deal would be his preference in negotiations with Boras. “Those are usually deals that are heavily incentivized because if he pitches like Holland, he should be compensated for it,” said Rizzo. “But you also have to balance it off with the risk that the guy’s coming off Tommy John, didn’t pitch at all last year, and we’ve never seen him throw a pitch in anger since he’s come back. So you’re really going on track record, medical reports and what the doctor said. It’s a risky proposition.” Boras sounded open to a two-year deal that includes incentives when addressing the media following Monday’s showcase. Holland rated 23rd on MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agent list, with our staff pegging him at two years and $18MM despite the lengthy layoff.

Offseason Outlook: Chicago Cubs

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MLBTR is publishing Offseason Outlooks for all 30 teams.  Click here for the other entries in this series.

The impossible has happened.  The Cubs won the World Series.  Millions of Cubs fans are now contemplating something their parents and grandparents never could: a potential dynasty.  While Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, and the rest of the Cubs’ front office have a free pass for life in Chicago, they’re already plotting an encore.  What’s next for the Cubs?

Guaranteed Contracts

  • Jon Lester, SP: $90MM through 2020.  Includes $25MM mutual option for 2021 with a $10MM buyout.  2021 option becomes guaranteed with 200 innings in 2020 or 400 innings in 2019-20.
  • Jason Heyward, RF: $149MM through 2023.  Heyward can opt out of contract after 2018 season or after 2019 season with 550 plate appearances in 2019.
  • John Lackey, SP: $12.5MM through 2017.
  • Miguel Montero, C: $14MM through 2017.
  • Ben Zobrist, OF/2B: $44MM through 2019.
  • Anthony Rizzo, 1B: $27MM through 2019.  Includes $14.5MM club option with a $2MM buyout for 2020 and an identical club option for 2021.  2019 salaries can increase based on MVP finishes.  Rizzo can void 2021 option with top two finish in 2017-19 MVP voting and subsequent trade.
  • Jorge Soler, OF: $15MM through 2020.  Can opt into arbitration after 2017 season.

Contract Options

  • Jason Hammel, SP: Cubs chose $2MM buyout over $12MM club option.
  • Dexter Fowler, CF: Fowler declined his part of $9MM mutual option, triggering $5MM buyout.

Arbitration Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; link to MLBTR projections)

Free Agents

The 2016 Cubs had the best starting rotation in baseball by a long shot, and they had the rare ability to bring back the exact same group for 2017: Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks, John Lackey, and Jason Hammel.  Instead, Epstein kicked off the offseason with a surprising move that won’t go unnoticed by future free agents.  The Cubs declined their option on Hammel, who posted a 3.79 ERA over two seasons for the club.  The 34-year-old might have profiled as the best fifth starter in baseball.  The Cubs feel they can do better, and didn’t feel the need to exercise the option and trade Hammel, which could have brought a low-level prospect in return.  Epstein said in a statement, “Our hope is that by giving a starting opportunity to some younger pitchers under multiple years of club control, we can unearth a starter who will help us not only in 2017 but also in 2018 and beyond.”

One internal possibility is Mike Montgomery, the 27-year-old lefty the Cubs acquired from the Mariners in a July trade.  Montgomery pitched well in his five starts for the Cubs, though his control remains an issue.  Montgomery also made the short list of Joe Maddon’s trusted relievers as the team continued through the playoffs.  Moving him to the rotation is a viable option, though it would open up a hole in the bullpen.  Southpaw Rob Zastryzny, the Cubs’ second round draft pick in 2013, is another rotation option.  However, with a 4.31 ERA across 23 starts at Double and Triple-A this year, Zastryzny would seem a clear downgrade from Hammel.

The free agent market for starting pitching is historically weak.  The only pitcher clearly better than Hammel is former Cub Rich Hill, a brittle lefty who turns 37 in March and would hardly fit Epstein’s search for a younger starter.  That brings us to the trade market.  Possible candidates include Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi, Drew Smyly, Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, Sonny Gray, and Shelby Miller, all of whom are controllable for multiple years.  The potential prizes of the market are Sale and Quintana, but the White Sox could be reluctant to send one of their aces across town. The Cubs have plenty of position players they might consider trading, including Jorge Soler on the Major League side and prospects such as Ian Happ, Eloy Jimenez, Jeimer Candelario, and Mark Zagunis.  The Cubs already spent a few pieces from their stash this summer, trading Gleyber Torres to get Aroldis Chapman and Dan Vogelbach to get Montgomery.

The Chicago bullpen will require serious work this winter.  Though Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop handled the late innings ably for much of the season for the Cubs, Joe Maddon seemed to lose faith in them as the playoffs wore on.  With combined arbitration salaries over $11MM, I can see the Cubs trading one of them.  Justin Grimm is more affordable, and despite some issues with free passes, he’s worth keeping around.  Carl Edwards Jr. is locked in as one of the Cubs’ more trusted relievers.  Montgomery will certainly have a spot if he doesn’t land in the rotation.  Travis Wood may leave for greener pastures (and a rotation job) as a free agent, while Trevor Cahill and Joe Smith did not make the playoff roster and will likely be allowed to sign elsewhere.

It is difficult to picture a team as stacked with talent and flush with money as the Cubs, coming off a World Championship, not striving for a relief ace.  The free agent market happens to offer two of them, Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen.  However, as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports pointed out recently, signing Chapman or Jansen to a five-year deal in the $80-90MM range doesn’t fit with Epstein’s history.  And Cubs GM Jed Hoyer recently expounded on “trying to be creative in finding bullpen pieces,” perhaps discovering the next Andrew Miller or Wade Davis.  Andrew Cashner, anyone?

While the Cubs could turn to the trade market for a dominant reliever, options are limited.  The Orioles’ Zach Britton or the Royals’ Kelvin Herrera would be excellent two-year additions, but they are not known to be available.  Davis, a potential one-year pickup from Kansas City, battled a flexor strain in his elbow this summer.  Barring availability of the Indians’ Andrew Miller, I don’t see any other established top relievers the Cubs could pursue.  Rather than bring in a lesser closer, they could just try to get Rondon back on track, as he had an excellent season before an August triceps injury.  We also must consider Epstein’s ability to think outside the box, as he did in trading for Montgomery.  If the Cubs’ front office is big on a Tyler Thornburg, Nate Jones, or Alex Colome, they could use their position player depth to pry one of them loose.   Regardless of the closer situation, the Cubs may do well to add another lefty reliever to the mix, with free agent options such as Brett Cecil, Boone Logan, Jerry Blevins, and Mike Dunn.

On the position player side, the Cubs have an embarrassment of riches.  Behind the plate, 24-year-old Willson Contreras will be the starter after a strong rookie debut.  Given his salary, the Cubs will likely go with Miguel Montero as the backup catcher replacement for the retiring David Ross.  However, Maddon and Montero will have to clear the air after the catcher expressed discontent with the manager’s communication about his usage in the playoffs.  It’s also not clear whether Montero can fill Ross’ role, particularly in regard to countering the large leadoffs baserunners are able to take on Jon Lester due to the lefty’s inability to make pickoff throws.  Since Contreras is only 24, it may be possible for the Cubs to lean on him for 130-140 games while reducing the role of the backup and ending the idea of Lester having a personal catcher.

The infield corners are locked down with one of the best duos in baseball, Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant.  Bryant, a third baseman by trade, also logged innings at the outfield corners and first base this year.  If the playoffs are any indication, Javier Baez has taken over the Cubs’ regular second base job from Ben Zobrist.  Addison Russell is locked in at shortstop.

The Cubs’ outfield machinations will be interesting to watch.  Fowler did an excellent job as the Cubs’ center fielder and sparkplug leadoff man over the last two seasons, and the team could easily afford to sign him long-term.  But doing so would only exacerbate the outfield logjam, so they may have to let him go.  In that case, the Cubs have two options to fill center field.  One is Albert Almora, a 22-year-old who was the Cubs’ first-round draft pick in 2012.  As a contact hitter who rarely walks and only has a touch of power, Almora would be an offensive downgrade compared to Fowler.  On the other hand, he can make up some of that gap with superior glovework.  The other center field option is Jason Heyward, who has seven years remaining on his contract.  Heyward was slated for center field when the Cubs originally signed him, so it’s a possibility despite his limited exposure at the position.  He did just win a Gold Glove as a right fielder.  However, after a disastrous year at the plate, Heyward will spent the winter working on his swing, and the Cubs may not want to ask him to change positions as well.

Will Heyward’s massive contract lock him into a starting job for most of 2017, as it did this year?  I expect the 27-year-old to break camp as a lineup regular, but Maddon did show a willingness to bench Heyward in the playoffs.  Look for a shorter leash in Heyward’s second Cubs season.  Zobrist, also signed as a free agent in the 2015-16 offseason, remains slated for regular playing time.  He began 2016 as the Cubs’ regular second baseman, but the emergence of Baez has pushed him to left field.

So a Zobrist-Almora-Heyward alignment seems pretty good, right?  The “problem” is that the Cubs also have one of the game’s best young hitters, Kyle Schwarber.  Schwarber, 24 in March, made a surprisingly fast recovery from his early-season torn ACL and LCL, serving as the Cubs’ designated hitter in the World Series.  Can Schwarber catch again, alleviating some of the outfield logjam?  Even Hoyer doesn’t seem to have the answer yet, plus there’s just not a big need for him behind the dish.  Save for 10 interleague games in American League parks, Schwarber will need to get most of his playing time as the Cubs’ left fielder.  The need to get Schwarber into the lineup creates urgency for Heyward to bounce back offensively, as Zobrist could wind up in right field when Schwarber plays.

If the Cubs will have to do some juggling to get Schwarber, Heyward, and Zobrist enough at-bats, they’ll really have a problem finding room for Jorge Soler.  Soler, 25 in February, is the Cubs’ most obvious piece of trade bait.  The Cubs control Soler for the next four seasons.  In 765 career plate-appearances, he’s hitting .258/.328/.434.  In 86 games this year, Soler showed increased power and patience at the plate, but he’s still only a slightly above average hitter.  He’s also pretty clearly a below-average defender and has been injury-prone in his career.  Nonetheless, Soler’s ceiling may still tantalize some teams, as the former top prospect’s bat still has All-Star potential.  In potential trades with the Rays, White Sox, Phillies, and others, the Cubs could attempt to acquire a controllable starting pitcher and/or reliever for a package centered around Soler.

Once free agency starts to die down in the new year, the Cubs may want to look into a few contract extension opportunities.  Hendricks and Schwarber could be candidates.  Bryant and Russell would certainly be of interest, though they’re represented by Scott Boras.  There’s also the looming free agency of Arrieta, who turns 31 in March.  The 2015 Cy Young winner picked up where he left off in 2016, posting a 1.74 ERA through his first 14 starts.  Even in that period, however, his command had begun to falter, and in the 126 2/3 innings that followed (including the playoffs), Arrieta posted a 4.19 ERA, 8.1 K/9, 3.7 BB/9, and 1.14 HR/9.  That performance is more in line with a Matt Moore, Ian Kennedy, or Trevor Bauer.  Good, but not $30MM per year good.  With a potential $105MM owed to Lester through 2021, a mega-deal for Arrieta looks a lot less appealing than it did a year ago.  After 2017, Arrieta may be joined in free agency by Yu Darvish, Johnny Cueto, Danny Duffy, Masahiro Tanaka, and others, so it’s quite possible the Cubs explore alternatives.

The Cubs had baseball’s best group of position players in 2016.  Even if they subtract Fowler and Soler, full seasons from Schwarber, Baez, and Contreras, plus some level of bounceback from Heyward, might result in an even stronger group in 2017.  Likewise, the Cubs are looking to improve upon an already-strong starting rotation.  While the bullpen needs significant retooling, the Cubs project to have a good $25MM+ in the war chest to spend on new player salaries for 2017.  The team is in an incredible position for years to come, suggesting 2016 was just the beginning.

Pirates, Nationals Discussed Andrew McCutchen Trade In July

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The Pirates and Nationals connected on a notable July trade that sent Mark Melancon from Pittsburgh to D.C. in exchange for Felipe Rivero and Taylor Hearn, but Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that a second blockbuster between the two sides was also discussed at length. Pittsburgh and Washington talked about a potential trade that would’ve sent Andrew McCutchen to the Nationals according to Rosenthal, though the deal apparently crumbled because there were too many moving parts at play. He adds that top prospect Victor Robles was one Pirates target in the deal.

It’s unlikely that the talks are picked back up due to the fact that there’s a gap between how the Pirates view McCutchen and how the Nats view him, Rosenthal continues, though serious trade discussions involving the 2013 NL MVP do at least indicate that the Bucs could be open to moving him this winter.

McCutchen turned in what was far and away the worst season of his career in 2016, taking notable steps backwards in terms of his offense, defense and baserunning. The 30-year-old’s .256/.336/.430 batting line still checked in a bit above the league average, per park-adjusted metrics like wRC+ and OPS+, but McCutchen had batted at least .292 with an OBP of at least .400 in each of the four prior seasons. Meanwhile, he stole a career-low six bases and was caught seven times. And in center field, the once premium defender turned in awful Defensive Runs Saved (-28) and Ultimate Zone Rating (-18.7) marks, though Rosenthal hears that the Pirates believe his poor ratings are due to the fact that McCutchen was positioned too shallow for much of the season (a problem that Dexter Fowler recently cited when discussing his own defensive improvements).

It’s not entirely clear if the Pirates will look to move McCutchen this winter or if they’ll just opportunistically listen to offers, though the team does have a near-MLB-ready replacement in the form of top prospect Austin Meadows. But even if they don’t, ESPN’s Buster Olney reports that his defensive shortcomings in 2016 could spell the end of his time in center field (Twitter link). Per Olney, the Bucs are considering a new outfield alignment that would feature Gregory Polanco in left field, Starling Marte in center field and McCutchen in right field.

If the Pirates do look to move McCutchen, though, there are undoubtedly a number of teams that would line up to take a chance on him returning to his previous heights. He’s owed a reasonable $14MM next year and also has a $14.5MM club option on his contract, which comes with a $1MM buyout. Even on the heels of a down season for McCutchen, the opportunity to acquire someone of his ceiling and owe him just a $15MM guarantee over one year (with a reasonably priced option for a second season) is intriguing for any club in need of outfield help. However, the challenge, as is the case when inquiring on any star-level player coming off a down season, will be agreeing on a price point. The Pirates almost certainly would value McCutchen at a very high level, but interested parties may be reluctant to pay a premium price for a 30-year-old that could be entering into a decline phase.

That disparity is highlighted by the package reported by Rosenthal; Robles currently ranks as the No. 10 prospect in all of baseball according to MLB.com, but Rosenthal notes that the Pirates weren’t keen on trading McCutchen for only one outfield prospect that has yet to play above Class-A. That’s certainly understandable, as it’s not uncommon at all for toolsy young outfielders to flame out, and being left with nothing to show for trading the face of the franchise would be a disastrous outcome.

Howie Kendrick Reportedly Prefers To Be Traded

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Howie Kendrick’s name has been popular on the rumor circuit this week, and Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports now reports that the veteran would prefer to be traded to a team that can give him a more regular role than the Dodgers did in 2016. FOX’s Ken Rosenthal reported earlier this week that the Dodgers were exploring possible Kendrick trades and that Kendrick was frustrated by his usage in Los Angeles, but Heyman’s report takes the story a bit further.

According to Heyman, Kendrick isn’t opposed to playing multiple positions in 2017 as he did in 2016 when he played second base, left field, third base and first base in L.A., but he’d prefer more regular at-bats. Kendrick played in 146 games and totaled 543 plate appearances last year, but that averages out to about 3.7 plate appearances per game — a notable decrease from the 4.2 PAs he averaged per game from 2010-15 with the Angels. There appears to be an opening at second base for Kendrick to return to his primary role next season, but Heyman notes that many in the game expect the Dodgers to re-sign Chase Utley, which would again cut into Kendrick’s playing time.

Of course, Kendrick’s own diminished performance may have played a role in his decrease in plate appearances. From 2010-15, Kendrick batted .289/.332/.418 as a member of the Angels — production that was about 11 percent better than the league average over that span, per OPS+. Last year, in a season in which offense was up league-wide, Kendrick’s production fell off to .255/.322/.366 — about 10 percent below the league average in terms of OPS+. He also received negative defensive marks at second base for the second straight season, although his work there came in a limited sample of just 210 innings. Kendrick also graded out average or slightly above in left field, depending on your defensive metric of choice.

With one year and $10MM remaining on his deal, Kendrick should still hold some degree of trade appeal. Rosenthal’s report listed the Phillies and Angels as possible landing spots, and Heyman points out that the Royals, too, could look for upgrades at second base. I’ll add, though, that if the Royals are going to add someone making $10MM to the books next year, they’ll probably have to subtract some salary as well, as GM Dayton Moore has said on multiple occasions that the team’s payroll is likelier to regress than to increase next year.

It should also be pointed out that the market for Kendrick needn’t be limited only to teams with second base openings. The Rangers, for instance, will lose a pair of outfielders in Carlos Gomez and Ian Desmond as well as first baseman Mitch Moreland, which could create multiple openings that Kendrick could fill. The Mets could use Kendrick in a variety of roles — a platoon bat in the outfield and insurance for David Wright, Lucas Duda and Jose Reyes around the infield. Other teams with corner outfield openings as well as some potential infield work include the Blue Jays, Indians and White Sox (though GM Rick Hahn’s recent comments may suggest that Chicago isn’t going to be adding a short-term veteran such as Kendrick). All of that, of course, is purely speculation on my behalf, but a player with Kendrick’s track record and versatility should pique the interest of many teams, especially if he’s indeed open to a utility role that affords him more at-bats, as Heyman indicated.

2016-17 MLB Free Agent Tracker

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Our 2016-17 MLB Free Agent Tracker is now available!  Our new and improved tracker allows you to filter by position, team, signing status, handedness, qualifying offers, and contract years, amounts, and options.  We’ll be updating it quickly throughout the offseason.  This new tracker is mobile-friendly as well, so you can give it a try on your phone.  Check out our 2016-17 MLB Free Agent Tracker and let us know your feedback!

Astros Interested In Brian McCann

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The possibility of a Brian McCann trade has been speculated about for months, driven in large part by the emergence of Gary Sanchez, and Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports that the Yanks have already identified a potential trade partner. Meanwhile, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi tweets that the Astros are interested in McCann, though it’s not definitively clear that Houston is the unnamed team referenced by Feinsand. It’s worth noting that neither report is an indicator that a deal is close at this time, though Feinsand’s report does seem to suggest that GM Brian Cashman has had some level of productive talks.

McCann, 32, has full no-trade protection and will need to approve any trade, and Cashman says he hasn’t spoken to his catcher about the possibility of anything yet. “[McCann’s agent, B.B. Abbott] said, ’Keep me posted; why don’t you guys go through the process and if you have something you need to talk to us about, give us a call,” Cashman explained. “…He hasn’t told me no on anything. I do have a personal belief of what’s more workable than others.”

Per Feinsand, the Astros are “desperate” to add both a catcher and a left-handed bat, so the fit certainly makes plenty of sense. Houston’s lineup is pretty heavy in terms of right-handed hitters, with George Springer, Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Evan Gattis and Yulieski Gurriel all hitting from the right side of the dish. Houston GM Jeff Luhnow In addition to McCann’s no-trade protection, his contractual status could serve as an impediment. The Astros may not be keen on paying McCann the full $34MM he’s owed over the next two seasons, though the Yankees could include some cash to help offset the financial burden for Houston. Furthermore, Astros GM Jeff Luhnow told Morosi earlier today that he foresees the team’s payroll escalating next season, so Houston should have the funds to make the move work if Luhnow and Cashman can agree on a prospect return and if McCann approves the deal.

Houston is currently set to lose Jason Castro to free agency, leaving Gattis and Max Stassi as the primary catching options within the organization. McCann would give the ’Stros a left-handed bat to replace Castros — and a more productive one, at that. Castro was solid against right-handed pitchers this past season but hit just .210/.307/.377 overall, while McCann provided a much more robust .242/.335/.413 slash and has hit at least 20 homers in nine straight seasons.

As for the Yankees, if they do ultimately find a trade for McCann, they could pursue free-agent DH options, according to Feinsand. He lists shorter-term options like Carlos Beltran, Kendrys Morales and Mike Napoli as more likely candidates than Edwin Encarnacion or Mark Trumbo, who could both command four-year deals this winter (and perhaps five, in Encarnacion’s case).

Angels Notes: Catcher, Rotation, Ramirez

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The Angels have already been fairly active in the early stages of the offseason, acquiring outfielder Cameron Maybin from the Tigers last week and re-signing Andrew Bailey to a one-year deal earlier today. There’s still plenty of work left for GM Billy Eppler and his staff, however. Here’s the latest on the Halos…

  • Eppler feels that adding a catcher this offseason would be more of a “luxury” than a priority, tweets Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. On paper, catching help certainly looks like an area of potential need for the Angels, who will enter the 2017 season with the inexperienced Jett Bandy as their primary backstop. Eppler’s comments seem to downplay the possibility of a notable addition, though perhaps later in the offseason, the Halos will be able to snatch up a veteran as a backup option and as a means of pushing Bandy in camp next year. As it stands, Carlos Perez is poised to serve as the backup.
  • Also via Fletcher, Eppler said he plans to pursue some additional help for the starting rotation. Beyond the current starting group of Garrett Richards, Matt Shoemaker, Tyler Skaggs and Ricky Nolasco, the Halos have an opening in the fifth spot in the rotation. “I think we’ll be presented an opportunity to add to that group, add to that population,” said Eppler. “Unless it completely falls apart we will be able to supplement that.” The GM went on to state that the ideal candidate would be both durable and flexible, prompting Fletcher to speculate on the possibility of adding someone such as Doug Fister, who has started and relieved in recent years. Fletcher also notes that free agent Ivan Nova has strong ties to Eppler, having come up through the Yankees’ system while Eppler was in their front office.
  • Another option in the rotation could be right-hander J.C. Ramirez, who posted a 2.91 ERA in 46 1/3 innings of relief for the Angels in 2016 but will be tried out as a starting pitcher in Spring Training, tweets Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times. Ramirez doesn’t come with much of a track record and has been primarily a two-pitch pitcher (fastball, slider), though he showed good control (2.5 BB/9) and impressive ground-ball tendencies (54.1 percent) with the Halos in 2016. Ramirez also started 127 games as a minor leaguer, so he’s handled the workload of a starter in the past, averaging 143 innings per season from 2009-11.

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