AL Notes: White Sox, Rangers, Astros, Yankees
White Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada initially took Boston’s offseason decision to trade him in a package for ace Chris Sale “as a very personal rejection,” his father, David, told Eli Saslow of ESPN The Magazine. But, thanks in part to teammate and first baseman Jose Abreu, Moncada has adjusted well to the changing of Sox. Abreu, a fellow Cuban, texted Moncada the night of the trade and told him that “this team gets it,” in reference to the White Sox’s history of employing Cuban-born players. Their relationship has continued to grow since, and the 21-year-old Moncada, arguably the best prospect in baseball, now regards Abreu as a “mentor and friend whose example I can only hope to follow.”
More on Chicago and three other American League teams:
- The White Sox scratched left-hander Carlos Rodon from his start Friday because of tightness in his bicep, Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago was among those to report. There’s no structural damage, and manager Rick Renteria said the team’s initial exam was “positive,” but Rodon will nonetheless go for an MRI (all Twitter links). “Odds are” Rodon will begin the season on the disabled list, according to general manager Rick Hahn, who noted that the White Sox “are going to err on the side of caution here, even if it winds up costing him his first couple starts” (Twitter links via Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune and Hayes). That makes sense considering the 24-year-old Rodon is one of the rebuilding White Sox’s most important cogs. Thus far in his career, the two-year veteran has logged a 3.90 ERA, 9.08 K/9, 3.7 BB/9 across 304 1/3 innings.
- Rangers manager Jeff Banister all but confirmed Friday that right-hander A.J. Griffin has locked down a rotation spot, tweets Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Grant reported earlier Friday that a starting job was likely for Griffin, who will slot in behind Yu Darvish, Cole Hamels and Martin Perez. The banged-up Andrew Cashner could rejoin the Rangers by April 15, the first time they’ll need a fifth starter.
- Thanks to the “dead arm” that slowed Astros righty Collin McHugh earlier this spring, he likely won’t be ready for the beginning of the season, manager A.J. Hinch informed Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). McHugh’s absence will deprive the Astros of a quality starter, though they do have a promising No. 6 on hand in Joe Musgrove, who looked like a major league-caliber rotation piece in his 62-inning debut last season (4.06 ERA, 7.98 K/9, 2.32 BB/9).
- The Yankees optioned righty Luis Cessa to Triple-A on Friday, thereby ending his bid to claim one of the two open spots in their rotation. Cessa, who had been competing against Luis Severino, Bryan Mitchell, Chad Green, Adam Warren and dark-horse Jordan Montgomery, allowed seven earned runs on 13 hits and four walks in 9 2/3 spring innings. As a rookie last season, the 24-year-old made 17 appearances (nine starts) and posted a 4.35 ERA, 5.89 K/9 and 1.79 BB/9 in 70 1/3 frames.
Pitching Notes: Cubs, Rangers, White Sox, Indians
The Cubs have tabbed left-hander Brett Anderson to open the season as their fifth starter, tweets Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago. Consequently, fellow southpaw Mike Montgomery, whom Anderson beat out, will head to the bullpen. At $3.5MM, Anderson received one of the biggest contracts the Cubs handed out during an offseason devoid of free agent splashes for the reigning World Series champions. Given the 29-year-old Anderson’s well-known injury history, though, it stands to reason Montgomery could end up in the rotation this season. “I could see him starting,” manager Joe Maddon told Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com. “Long relief, short relief. All of it.”
- The Rangers “have had conversations with other clubs” about acquiring starting pitching, though they didn’t delve into the “top end” of the trade market, general manager Jon Daniels told MLB Network Radio (Twitter link). Daniels doesn’t expect to land another starter from outside the organization, as he noted that the Rangers are “going internally” to address their rotation. Texas won’t need a fifth starter until April 15, when Andrew Cashner could return from biceps tendinitis, and it appears they’ll slot A.J. Griffin in as the No. 4 option behind Yu Darvish, Cole Hamels and Martin Perez, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. The recovering Tyson Ross (shoulder) figures to join the starting five when he makes his 2017 big league debut, which could happen in early May.
- Right-handed prospect Lucas Giolito has lost some of the hype that accompanied him last year, leading Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com to wonder if he’ll regain it with the White Sox organization. Previously a member of the Nationals, with whom he topped out as Baseball America’s fifth-best prospect, Giolito was part of a blockbuster December trade in which he (and fellow righties Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning) went to Chicago for outfielder Adam Eaton. Despite serving as the headlining part of the return for the Sox, and despite continuing to rank as a high-end prospect according to most outlets, skepticism has developed regarding the 22-year-old. “I think he will be a bullpen guy down the line, kind of like a Jon Rauch or Luke Hochevar,” a National League executive told Crasnick. “He got hyped up a lot and Washington found out later. Usually, the drafting team is the last to know.” Meanwhile, one member of an American League front office Crasnick spoke with isn’t as ready to write off Giolito. “As a 22-year-old who’s already missed a year with Tommy John, Lucas Giolito deserves a chance to grow and evolve,” he said. “He really hasn’t had enough innings to show us what he’s going to be.”
- Indians righty Carlos Carrasco could begin the year in extended spring training as he looks to build up his arm strength after a bout with elbow soreness, writes Terry Pluto of cleveland.com. The Indians have two off days in the first two weeks of the season, which would enable them to be patient with Carrasco and not have to use five starters immediately.
Minor MLB Transactions: 3/24/17
The latest minor moves from around baseball:
- Longtime major league reliever Joe Beimel has signed with the New Britain Bees of the independent Atlantic League, the team announced. The 39-year-old left-hander pitched for seven different big league teams from 2001-15, a 680-inning stretch in which he posted a 4.06 ERA, 5.02 K/9, 3.6 BB/9 and a 47 percent ground-ball rate. Beimel spent last season at the Triple-A level with the Royals organization, though the club released him in mid-July after he allowed seven earned runs and issued more walks than strikeouts (eight to six) over 14 2/3 frames.
Quick Hits: Draft, Norris, Sternberg, Hanson, Quintana
This year’s amateur draft class is still quite unsettled, though in Baseball America’s initial ranking of the Top 100 draft prospects, Hudson Belinsky and John Manuel note that a pair of two-way players are standing out as the potential top two picks. Louisville first baseman/left-handed pitcher Brendan McKay is drawing most of his attention as an “elite pure hit tool” batter though “at least one” interested team prefers him on the mound. No right-handed high school pitcher has ever been drafted first overall, though 17-year-old Hunter Greene has an upper-90s fastball and has touched the 102mph mark. This kind of live arm at such a young age has even drawn some Dwight Gooden comparisons, so most evalutors prefer Greene as a pitcher, though he also possesses “top-of-the-scale raw power” as a shortstop. The Twins own the first pick in June’s draft, though McKay and Greene are just two of nine players Minnesota is reportedly considering for the top selection.
Here’s more from around baseball…
- The Rays are currently “on the outside looking in” of the Derek Norris hunt, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports (via Twitter), though they are still one of multiple teams talking to the free agent catcher. The Rays have a need at catcher since Wilson Ramos will miss some time at the start of the season and require DH days after returning, and they’ve been linked to Norris since he was released by the Nationals last week.
- Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg spoke to reporters (including MLB.com’s Bill Chastain) about the team’s search for a new ballpark, noting that the Rays have already moved on from their top choice. “We had some ideas on locations that weren’t available, that I thought would work perfectly, that were off the table,” Sternberg said. “So we’re sort of moving down our list, No. 2, 3, and 4. Sometimes it’s like starting pitchers. You have five of them, and sometimes No. 4 is better than No. 2, and really better than No. 1.“
- Reds right-hander Nick Hanson, the club’s third-round pick in the 2016 draft, will undergo Tommy John surgery, as reported by SB Nation’s Eric Roseberry and the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Zach Buchanan (Twitter links). Hanson, a Minnesota high schooler, was slated to attend the University of Kentucky before agreeing to an above-slot $925K bonus to join the Reds. The 2017 Baseball America Prospect Handbook ranked him as the 30th-best prospect in Cincy’s system, describing the 6’6″ 18-year-old as “understandably raw with a loose arm” but owning a fastball in the 91-95mph range and the potential for an above-average curveball. Given the usual TJ recovery period, Hanson’s best-case scenario for a return is midway through the 2018 season.
- Jose Quintana is worth the big price it would cost the Pirates to acquire the southpaw from the White Sox, Paul Zeise of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette opines. Quintana’s strong track record and affordable contract make him a good fit for the Bucs, who could sacrifice young arms Tyler Glasnow and Mitch Keller in order to win now with Quintana, in Zeise’s view. Giving up outfield prospect Austin Meadows could be difficult, though Zeise wonders if the Sox have perhaps slightly lowered their asking price. (White Sox GM Rick Hahn said nothing had changed on that front in comments to reporters today.) Pirates GM Neal Huntington “should do [the trade] today,” Zeise writes, if Chicago would accept Glasnow, Keller and Josh Bell.
NL West Notes: Hoffman, Norris, Hoover, Padres
Some news and notes from around the NL West…
- The Rockies optioned Jeff Hoffman to Triple-A today, with manager Bud Black telling reporters (including Nick Groke of the Denver Post) that Hoffman required “a little more refinement” and consistency. “The fastball has velocity, but he has to locate the fastball,” Black said. “The slider and curveball are very good pitches. They are major league quality. But he has to consistently get them into good spots. The overall command of his pitches is something he needs to harness.” Hoffman, one of the game’s top pitching prospects, posted a 4.88 ERA over his first 31 1/3 innings in the majors last season. With Hoffman at Triple-A, rookies German Marquez, Kyle Freeland, and Antonio Senzatela are all competing for the last two spots in Colorado’s injury-thinned rotation.
- The Rockies are one of the teams interested in catcher Derek Norris, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Colorado joins the Cardinals and Rays as teams known to have interest in the free agent catcher. With Tom Murphy on the DL with a fractured forearm, the Rockies are a logical candidate to be exploring upgrades behind the plate.
- J.J. Hoover is looking like a good bet to break camp with the Diamondbacks, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic writes. Hoover signed a minor league deal with the D’Backs in January that will pay him a $900K base salary if he cracks the big league roster, which seems like a distinct possibility given the righty’s solid spring numbers and Arizona’s wide-open bullpen competition. Hoover posted solid numbers out of Cincinnati’s bullpen from 2012-15 before taking over as the Reds closer and suffering a disastrous 2016 season.
- The top 50 international bonuses of 2016 are compiled by Baseball America’s Ben Badler, with the Padres‘ $11MM bonus to Cuban lefty Adrian Morejon leading the way. San Diego owns five of the top 12 entries and a league-leading 11 of the top 50 overall, which isn’t a surprise given the Padres’ tactic of blowing past their bonus pool limit to hoard as much young international talent as possible during this signing period. As a result, the Padres will be limited to signings worth no more than $300K during the next two international signing periods.
Phillies, Blue Jays Interested In Angel Pagan
The Phillies are the newest team to be linked to Angel Pagan, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reports (via Twitter). The Blue Jays are also still connected to the Pagan hunt, though previous reports had indicated that Toronto was content with its current mix of left field options.
Pagan would be something of a curious fit, at first glance, for a Phillies team that seems pretty set with Odubel Herrera in center and new arrivals Howie Kendrick and Michael Saunders manning the corner outfield slots. Beyond the starters, Philadelphia also has several internal options (Aaron Altherr and Tyler Goeddel) and veterans on non-roster invites (Daniel Nava and Chris Coghlan) in camp battling for reserve roles. The Phils have stressed Kendrick’s value as a multi-position player, however, so the club could now be considering giving Kendrick less time in left than originally anticipated. The right-handed hitting Kendrick isn’t exactly an ideal time-share candidate for second baseman Cesar Hernandez (a switch-hitter), third baseman Maikel Franco or first baseman Tommy Joseph (both right-handed bats), though if Kendrick could spell any of these young players on a regular basis and still maintain an everyday presence in the lineup.
As I noted in my recent look at the Blue Jays’ offseason, there is quite a bit of uncertainty surrounding the team’s left field situation. Steve Pearce is the Jays’ top option in left, though he has yet to play the position in spring action as he recovers from elbow surgery, and Pearce might eventually be required at first base if Justin Smoak can’t handle an everyday job. A platoon of Melvin Upton Jr. and Ezequiel Carrera is also not ideal, as Carrera is a reverse-splits batter who hits lefties better than righties and Upton just struggled badly after joining the Jays last summer. Dalton Pompey, meanwhile, is out of action due to a concussion.
Several teams (including the Braves, Royals, Pirates, Nationals, and Orioles) have been linked to Pagan this offseason, though the veteran is holding out until he receives a Major League contract, reportedly in the neighborhood of $5MM. Pagan has a case for such a commitment, given that he hit .277/.331/.418 with a career-best 12 homers over 543 PA for the Giants in a 2.1 fWAR season last year. Pagan is 35, however, and is also just a season removed from a below-replacement level (-0.7 fWAR) year in 2015, though he generated a combined 3.1 fWAR over 167 games in 2013-14. Pagan is no longer a viable center field defender, though he could fill play there in a pinch; presumably he could also handle right (though he hasn’t played the position since 2010) and he graded out as a decent left fielder last year with the Giants.
The switch-hitting Pagan has been notably better against right-handed pitching over the last few years than he has against southpaws, making him a good fit on a very right-handed Jays roster. Philadelphia has Hernandez (a switch-hitter) and Herrera and Saunders as left-handed bats in the everyday lineup, while Coghlan and the switch-hitting Nava are the left-handed options amidst the backup outfield contingent.
Yankees Notes: Cashman, Gregorius, Carter
Here’s the latest from the Bronx…
- In a Q&A with MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, Yankees GM Brian Cashman says that the franchise’s tendency to “cut corners” due to a constant need to contend has led to issues in developing starting pitchers. “Part of it is we can’t get out of our own way because we don’t have the patience to let guys finish off their development, because if you possess some unique ability that stands out above everybody else — whether it was Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, now [Luis] Severino and before that [Bryan] Mitchell and Shane Greene — we’re pulling them up before their development is finished.” The full interview is well worth a read in its entirety, as Cashman is very candid about such topics as his long career in the team’s front office, past and more recent transactions, and the Yankees’ current youth movement.
- Some in the Yankees organization aren’t pleased with how Didi Gregorius was deployed during the World Baseball Classic, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reports, as this usage may have contributed to Gregorius’ shoulder injury. Gregorius was used mostly as a DH by the Netherlands and he was injured while making a throw as a second baseman, rather than his natural shortstop position. The Yankees were under the impression that Gregorius would see time rotating with Andrelton Simmons and Jonathan Schoop in the middle infield, though as Heyman notes, Simmons’ defensive wizardry made him the Netherlands’ logical starting shortstop.
- Chris Carter is having a very rough Spring Training, leading Brendan Kuty of NJ Advance Media to wonder if Carter would potentially become a roster drag for the Yankees. Carter was signed to provide a right-handed first base complement to Greg Bird, though since Bird is healthy and has been on fire in spring action, it would make sense that New York would want to give the youngster as much playing time as possible, even against southpaws to further his development. With Matt Holliday locked into the DH spot, Carter might not have much opportunity to shake off the rust once the season begins. Carter admitted to Kuty that the shift from being a regular to only getting part-time at-bats as a Yankee is “definitely an adjustment.”
Heyman’s Latest: Odor, Baker, Robertson, Bucs, M’s, Alvarez, Marlins, Pagan, Twins, Santana, Gentry
It usually isn’t a good tactic for free agents to accept the first offer that comes their way, yet this past offseason, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman notes that several players would have been better served by accepting deals before the new collective bargaining agreement was finalized. Many free agents, particularly sluggers like Mark Trumbo, saw their offers drop after the new CBA was settled in early December, as teams were suddenly more wary about spending in the wake of more punitive luxury tax rules. Trumbo tells Heyman that he doesn’t regret returning to the Orioles on a three-year, $37.5MM deal, though the implication was that a larger offer was on the table for an undetermined amount. Reports from earlier this winter indicated that the Orioles themselves initially offered Trumbo a larger deal in the four-year, $52MM range.
Here’s more from Heyman, in his weekly roundup of news and notes from all 30 teams…
- The Rangers have increased their offer in extension talks with Rougned Odor, though “it isn’t believed to be where the player wants it to be.” Heyman suggests that Odor’s representation could see Jason Kipnis‘ six-year, $52.5MM extension with the Indians “as a baseline,” whereas the last time we heard of talks between the two sides, Texas had offered a deal only “in the range of” the Kipnis deal. Odor’s team isn’t expected to make a counter offer, so Heyman feels the talks could be tabled altogether. There isn’t necessarily any rush to get an extension done, as Odor is still under team control for four more years, though he’ll start to get more expensive next winter when he becomes eligible for arbitration.
- There aren’t any extension talks taking place between Dusty Baker and the Nationals, though the skipper says he “ain’t worried” about the situation. Baker is only under contract for one more season in Washington, and his first year in D.C. resulted in an NL East title for the Nats.
- The White Sox are open to any trades, “but at their price,” according to one rival GM. While this statement is probably generally true for every team, Chicago is known to have a very high price tag on its main trade chips as it looks to rebuild, and the Sox have already landed two big prospect hauls from the Red Sox and Nationals, respectively, in deals for Chris Sale and Adam Eaton. The Nats and White Sox have also been heavily linked in talks about David Robertson, though a source tells Heyman that it has been “over two months” since the two sides last discussed the closer.
- The Blue Jays talked to Pedro Alvarez before the slugger re-signed with the Orioles on a minor league deal. Toronto has switch-hitters Kendrys Morales and Justin Smoak slated for DH and first base, respectively, though Steve Pearce and possibly Jose Bautista will get some time at both positions as well. Alvarez would have brought some needed left-handed pop to a Jays lineup that is heavy on right-handed bats, and he could’ve also maybe helped out in left field given how Alvarez has been working out as an outfielder this winter.
- The Pirates and Mariners are considering some bullpen help.
- The Marlins are open to adding a starting pitcher. Adam Conley has been struggling this spring, though his issues aside, there certainly seems to be room for improvement within Miami’s projected starting five of Wei-Yin Chen, Edinson Volquez, Conley, Dan Straily and Tom Koehler.
- Heyman wonders if Angel Pagan could be an option for the Giants given their outfield issues this spring. Hunter Pence and Denard Span have struggled, while Mike Morse and Mac Williamson are both sidelined with injuries, so an outfielder like Pagan capable of playing all three spots could seem to fit as a depth piece. Of course, San Francisco is already trying out many of its surplus infield pieces as potential outfielders, and Pagan is still insisting on a a Major League contract.
- Byron Buxton and Max Kepler appear to be the only true untouchables on the Twins roster as the team continues its rebuilding process. It’s worth noting that Minnesota only made a couple of minor deals this offseason under the new Derek Falvey/Thad Levine-led front office, despite a lot of rumors surrounding such veterans as Brian Dozier or Ervin Santana.
- Johan Santana is still hopeful of a comeback, continuing to work out with an eye towards potentially signing with a team for the second half of the season.
- Craig Gentry, who signed a minor league deal with the Orioles last month, “has impressed Buck Showalter” and is looking in good position to break camp with the team. The O’s could use platoons in both left and right field, with Hyun Soo Kim and Seth Smith as the left-handed bats and Gentry and Joey Rickard providing the right-handed hitting support. This could mean that Rule 5 picks Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez may end up back with their old clubs, though Santander could be saved on the DL as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery, as well as elbow and neck issues this spring.
Luis Valbuena To Miss 4-6 Weeks Due To Hamstring Strain
The Angels will be without Luis Valbuena for an estimated 4-6 weeks after the first baseman suffered a Grade 1 strain in his right hamstring, the club announced. Valbuena suffered the injury yesterday, forcing him to leave a Spring Training game.
Valbuena was signed to a two-year, $15MM contract in January and slated to get the bulk of playing time at first base for the Halos. C.J. Cron will handle first base in Valbuena’s absence, with Jefry Marte in line to pick up some at-bats against right-handed pitching. Albert Pujols underwent foot surgery in December and will only be limited to DH duty in the near future — fears that Pujols could miss the start of the season have seemingly been allayed, since Pujols has been playing regularly since March 10 and hitting very well.
[Updated Angels depth chart at Roster Resource]
While a Grade 1 is the least-serious type of hamstring strain, the injury is still quite troubling given that Valbuena underwent surgery on this same hamstring last August while still a member of the Astros. It’s worth noting that Valbuena originally hit the DL with that injury in late July and missed almost a month before having to undergo his season-ending surgery, so it’s clear that the Angels will be quite cautious in order to prevent more lingering issues. The Angels don’t really have anywhere else to put Valbuena besides first base since Pujols looks to be locked into the DH role.
Valbuena, 31, has hit .243/.334/.442 with 54 homers in 1382 PA for the Cubs and Astros since the start of the 2014 season, including a .260/.357/.459 slash line and 16 big flies over 342 PA for Houston in 2016. Valbuena has hit right-handed pitching much better than southpaws over that stretch, so Cron would’ve likely been in line anyway for a good chunk of playing time when the Angels faced a left-handed starter. There was some trade buzz around Cron earlier this winter in the wake of Valbuena’s signing, though if Valbuena’s hamstring will be an ongoing issue, there seems virtually no chance Cron will be moved.
Giants Release Gordon Beckham
5:05pm: The Giants have officially released Beckham, the club told reporters (including Andrew Baggarly of the Bay Area News Group).
4:10pm: The Giants will release Gordon Beckham from his minor league contract with the club as per Beckham’s request, MLBTR has learned. Beckham originally joined the Giants in a late-September trade with the Braves and re-signed with the club in February, joining a very crowded battle within the Giants’ camp to decide the third base and utility infield jobs.
The 30-year-old Beckham will now look for a clearer opportunity elsewhere with teams in need of infield depth. Most of Beckham’s MLB experience has some at second base dating back to his days as a regular with the White Sox, though he has also seen substantial action at third base over the last three seasons and even some action at short, starting seven games at the position for Atlanta in 2016. Beckham has hit .211/.285/.340 over 516 PA since the start of the 2015 season, though he does own a career .260/.360/.458 slash line coming off the bench (in 114 PA) over his career.