Braves To Sign Kris Medlen
The Braves have struck a minor-league deal with righty Kris Medlen, per David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter links). Once a key member of the Atlanta organization, Medlen will now have to earn his way into MLB camp, as his deal doesn’t include an invite.
If Medlen does make the MLB roster, he’ll earn at a $1MM annual rate, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). He can also achieve up to $2MM in incentives, based upon what role he might occupy (games started or total appearances).
Medlen, now 31, last appeared for the Braves in 2013, when he turned in 197 innings of 3.11 ERA ball with 7.2 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9. His career was knocked off course the next spring, however, when he tore his UCL during Spring Training and ultimately required Tommy John surgery.
Atlanta ultimately elected not to tender him a contract before the 2015 season, leaving Medlen to explore the open market. He landed with the Royals on a two-year deal that promised $8.5MM, but never really made good on the contract in Kansas City.
Medlen was able to return to action and provide 58 1/3 innings in 2015 — including eight starts and seven relief appearances. While his 4.01 ERA wasn’t exactly sparkling, Medlen did return to his typical ~90 mph fastball velocity and show that he could pitch competently at the major league level.
While there was some hope for a greater resurgence this past season, that wasn’t to be. Medlen dealt with shoulder injuries and wasn’t effective when he was available. He ended up handling only 24 1/3 MLB innings, posting a 7.77 ERA while uncharacteristically walking more batters (20) than he struck out (18).
Still, it’s an easy risk for Atlanta to take on a pitcher who is still relatively youthful and remains popular with the fanbase. Whether or not he can crack the roster remains to be seen, though the lack of a camp invite suggests that the team isn’t expecting it. Odds are, then, that Medlen will need to attempt to work his way back to the bigs with a stint in the upper minors at least to open the season.
Rangers Sign Wesley Wright To Minors Deal, Outright Brady Dragmire
The Rangers announced on Friday that they’ve signed veteran left-handed reliever Wesley Wright to a minor league contract and outrighted right-hander Brady Dragmire to Triple-A Round Rock. Both players will be invited to Major League Spring Training, per Rangers executive VP of communications John Blake.
Wright, who turns 32 tomorrow, didn’t appear in the Majors in 2016 (the first year since 2007 that he hasn’t thrown a big league pitch). He did log 31 1/3 innings with the Red Sox’ Triple-A affiliate, posting a 4.31 ERA with 21 strikeouts against 13 walks.
Wright lost most of the 2015 season to injury (a strained left trapezius muscle, to be more specific), but from 2011-14 he was a quality contributor to the Astros, Cubs and Rays. In those four seasons, Wright logged a 3.25 ERA with 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings against 3.2 walks per nine. Over the course of his career, Wright has held opposing left-handers to a rather timid .237/.313/.334 batting line through 606 plate appearances.
As for Dragmire, the 23-year-old’s lengthy and tumultuous trip through the offseason waiver circuit will now end with the Rangers. Originally the property of the Blue Jays, Dragmire was designated for assignment in late September and traded to the Pirates, only to be claimed back by the Rangers in early December. Texas tried to sneak him through waivers two weeks later after signing Carlos Gomez, at which point the Pirates re-claimed him off waivers. As if that wasn’t enough movement, Dragmire was again designated by Pittsburgh and again claimed by the Rangers, who designated him for assignment yet again last week after signing Tyson Ross. The Rangers have now finally succeeded in passing him through waivers, meaning they’ll be able to retain his rights without committing a 40-man roster spot to Dragmire.
Last season, Dragmire logged a 4.38 ERA with 5.1 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9 in 72 innings at Double-A New Hampshire (Toronto’s affiliate). While those numbers aren’t exactly eye-catching, Dragmire also logged a robust 63.6 percent ground-ball rate, which seems to have made him highly appealing to both Texas and Pittsburgh. He’ll hope to replicate that trait with some improved run prevention in the upper minors as he looks to make his way to the Major Leagues for the first time in 2017.
Nationals Sign Grant Green To Minor League Deal
The Nationals announced that they’ve signed infielder Grant Green to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training. The Boras Corporation client will compete for a utility job in Spring Training and could also open the year in Triple-A as a depth option for the Nats.
[Related: Updated Washington Nationals Depth Chart]
Now 29 years of age, Green was a first-round pick by the A’s back in 2009 (No. 13 overall) and rated among the game’s top 100 prospects for multiple seasons prior to his debut in the Majors. However, despite consistently strong performances at the Triple-A level, where he’s a career .313/.351/.470 hitter in nearly 2000 plate appearances, Green’s bat simply hasn’t panned out in the Majors.
Green spent the 2016 season in the Giants organization and hit well in Triple-A, as usual, prompting a promotion to the Majors in late June. He slashed .261/.300/.370 in 50 plate appearances with the Giants, but he lost his roster spot when Joe Panik was activated from the disabled list in late July. San Francisco acquired Eduardo Nunez from Minnesota shortly thereafter, further blocking the road for a return to the Majors for Green.
The bulk of Green’s experience in the Majors has come as a second baseman, though he’s also spent time in the outfield corners and at each infield corner. In the minors, Green has seen more than 2000 innings at shortstop as well as more than 1100 innings at second base and more than 500 innings at virtually every spot on the diamond other than on the mound and behind the plate.
The Nationals are set with Ryan Zimmerman at first base, Daniel Murphy at second, Trea Turner at short and Anthony Rendon at third base. Behind that quartet is the recently re-signed Stephen Drew as well as corner outfielder Chris Heisey and first baseman/outfielder Clint Robinson. It seems unlikely that Green would beat out anyone from that group, especially as a right-handed bat (which the Nationals already possess in abundance), so it seems likeliest that he’ll either open the season in the upper minors with Washington.
NL East Notes: Saunders, Phillies, Braves, Nats
Michael Saunders will don a Phillies jersey for the first time this coming season after signing a one-year deal, but as the outfielder tells Ryan Lawrence of PhillyVoice.com, he was nearly a long-term piece for the Phillies back in 2009. Saunders was originally reported to be part of the return the Phillies would receive in trading Cliff Lee to the Mariners, and he was indeed on the verge of being included in that deal, he now says. “They said I was on the Sportscenter tracker in the trade where we were getting Cliff Lee in that three-way deal,” Saunders says. “So I called my agent and he had to do a little bit of digging, he made some calls, called me back and he said, ‘You know what, it’s time to to start packing your bags.” The outfielder goes on to explain that he was, however, a “last-minute subtraction” from the trade that ultimately proved to net a disappointing haul for the Phils. (Tyson Gillies, Phillippe Aumont and J.C. Ramirez went to Philadelphia in the deal, none of whom provided any real value to the team.)
Saunders also spoke about his second-half drop in production, and he believes his inability to work out early in the preceding offseason (due to 2015 knee surgery) led to a good deal of fatigue in the season’s second half. Lawrence’s column is full of quotes from the new Phillies’ right fielder, and I’d recommend a full read-through for those that are interested.
A few more notes from the NL East…
- MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki fields a number of roster-related question in his latest Phillies Inbox, addressing additional moves, the backup catcher’s role, J.P. Crawford‘s timeline and some rumors that surrounded Cesar Hernandez earlier this winter. Zolecki notes that while further minor league deals could be handed out — he specifically notes that the bullpen could be an area of need — the Phils are likely done adding significant pieces this winter. He also calls Andrew Knapp the favorite to serve as Cameron Rupp‘s backup in 2017, though veterans Ryan Hanigan and Bryan Holaday will do their best to give him a run for his money in Spring Training as non-roster invites.
- The Braves have an unexpectedly deep bullpen picture and a number of options heading into 2017, writes MLB.com’s Mark Bowman in a very comprehensive (and highly recommended) breakdown of the relief corps in Atlanta. Strong late-season performances from right-hander Jose Ramirez (who is out of minor league options) and waiver claim Chaz Roe give the Braves two intriguing arms to complement righties Jim Johnson, Arodys Vizcaino and Mauricio Cabrera. Ian Krol looks to have one spot locked down, while Paco Rodriguez could battle to be a second lefty in manager Brian Snitker’s bullpen. However, the Braves are also intrigued by Rule 5 pick Armando Rivero, who whiffed 105 batters in 67 2/3 Triple-A innings last season. And the team has plenty of experienced non-roster arms as well, including Eric O’Flaherty, Jordan Walden and Blaine Boyer. That latter of the trio is the likeliest to make the team’s Opening Day roster in Bowman’s estimation.
- Greg Holland is headed to the Rockies after agreeing to a one-year deal a couple of days ago, and FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweets that the Nationals are still in the market for a closer after watching the former Royals star head elsewhere. Washington was reportedly interested in Holland and one of the final teams in the mix, but it appears their search for a late-inning arm will continue. As Heyman points out, Sergio Romo is among the most experience right-handed options remaining on the market, while the trade market still has David Robertson and Alex Colome, though the latter is viewed as unlikely to be moved. FOX’s Ken Rosenthal wrote late last night that the Nationals aren’t as willing to spend on “lesser relievers” as they were on an elite arm like Kenley Jansen (to whom they offered more than $80MM). The Nats are also reluctant to trade prospects, he adds. MASNsports.com’s Pete Kerzel writes that it’s looking more and more likely that the Nats will go with internal options, as they don’t appear to have been especially active in attempting to trade for a late-inning arm due to the asking prices put forth by other teams.
Latest On The Market For Left-Handed Relievers
The agents for Jerry Blevins and Boone Logan are signaling to interested teams that each left-hander will be able to land two-year, $12MM deals or better, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. That two-year, $12MM figure — the same contract inked by Antonio Bastardo with the Mets last offseason — was recently used a potential template for both Blevins and Logan by one executive that spoke with Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith.
Nicholson-Smith recently reported that the Jays remain in contact with Blevins, and Rosenthal lists the Dodgers as another club that’s interested in his services. As is the case with their interest in Joe Blanton, though, the Dodgers are interested in a one-year deal, which could make it difficult to secure one of the top remaining names on the relief market. The New York Post’s Kevin Kernan writes that the Mets are checking in with Blevins’ camp on a daily basis. The Yankees are also in touch with the representatives for the remaining lefty relievers, Rosenthal adds, though they’re only interested in one-year deals with a low base salary or even minor league deals with Spring Training invites. That, it would seem, removes the likes of Blevins and Logan from the Yankees’ realistic options.
Both Blevins and Logan averaged better than 11 strikeouts per nine innings this past season, though Blevins did so with a lower ERA (2.79 to 3.69) and better control (3.2 BB/9 to 3.9 BB/9). That strikeout rate represented an easy career-best for Blevins, while Logan has averaged better than 11 K/9 in each of the past five seasons with the Yankees and Rockies.
Meanwhile, Craig Breslow‘s recent showcase, which was attended by roughly half the league, has thrust him into the conversation of available lefties. Breslow’s new arm slot was said to pique the interest of some clubs, and he represents a significantly more affordable option than other southpaws that have yet to sign with a new team. Rosenthal reports that the Indians, Mets and Dodgers each had multiple evaluators in attendance, and WEEI’s Rob Bradford reported recently that the Rockies, Blue Jays and Cubs were all in attendance as well. Kernan notes that he spoke to a scout who was in attendance for Breslow’s workout and came away impressed.
Travis Wood, too, is still seeking a new home this winter, but Nicholson-Smith notes that many in the industry still expect Wood to seek a starting job due to his experience in the rotation. That makes him a tough fit for the Blue Jays, and the fact that teams like the Yankees and Dodgers aren’t looking to break the bank, in my mind, makes either club seem like a long shot as well.
Quick Hits: Howard, Marlins, Rockies, Rays, Wieters
Ryan Howard tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that a productive second half in 2016 — Howard batted .262/.324/.608 in his last 140 plate appearances — convinced him that he still has “a lot left in the tank.” Howard is working out and waiting in hopes of receiving an offer for the upcoming season, Rosenthal writes. The longtime Phillies cornerstone is open to signing in the American League and serving as a designated hitter, and he’s realistic and understanding of the fact that he isn’t likely to be given an everyday role. Howard is one of many left-handed sluggers on the free-agent market — Brandon Moss, Pedro Alvarez, Adam Lind and Justin Morneau are all also available, for instance — but a strong finish and 24 home runs against right-handed pitching (in 327 plate appearances) could get him a look as a part-time DH or a bench bat in 2017.
Here are a few more late-night notes from around the game…
- The Marlins‘ acquisition of right-hander Severino Gonzalez filled the team’s 40-man roster, making further guaranteed contracts unrealistic, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro reports. The Marlins could still add some players on minor league deals, but with a full 40-man roster and a payroll that is at its limit (roughly $110MM), additional spending is a long shot. Miami was recently connected to both Chris Carter and Mark Reynolds, but Frisaro calls the chances of signing either “extremely remote.” The Fish do have interest in Jeff Francoeur, but he’d have to be willing to sign a minor league contract in order to return to Miami. That could ultimately happen, but Francoeur does have interest elsewhere, as the Braves are said to be in on him as well.
- Sticking with the Marlins, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears that it was the agents for Carter and Reynolds who reached out to the Marlins recently, and not vice versa. That would certainly make sense, as Miami could look like an appealing landing spot, on paper, for either slugger. Jackson writes that the Marlins are considering a 13-man pitching staff and a four-man bench, making the addition of even a modestly priced right-handed bat like Carter or Reynolds unlikely. There’s still some interest in Francoeur and Chris Johnson, he notes.
- Fangraphs’ David Laurila spoke with Rockies GM Jeff Bridich about a number of topics, interestingly touching on what lessons that Major League front offices can learn from the front offices of teams in other sports. Laurila notes that Bridich is a diehard Green Bay Packers fan, and the two discussed Green Bay’s ability to build through the draft as well as the Atlanta Falcons’ turnaround from a sub-.500 club to a Super Bowl participant. Bridich also spoke about the Rockies’ focus on youth and athleticism as well as their growing analytics department. “We’ve worked in leaps and bounds to do that, but it’s probably unfair to say we’ve brought our analytics process up to par with our scouting process,” said Bridich. “…in terms of the human capital, in terms of the financial capital, and the time spent in the growth of the analytics over the last year, year and a half… it’s real. We’re starting to really see some movement there.”
- Rays general manager Erik Neander tells Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that newly acquired right-hander Jose De Leon is very close to making a “significant impact” on the team, though Topkin writes that De Leon could open the year in Triple-A. De Leon’s shoulder has been a source of concern for some, but the right-hander denies that there’s any cause for concern and said his arm is healthy. “I’m on a mission,” De Leon tells Topkin. “I was a low draft pick, nobody knew about me, nobody believed in me, so I’m on a mission to fulfill my dreams. Getting to the big leagues is just the beginning.”
- Topkin also notes at the end of that column that the Rays are “possibly” considering free-agent catcher Matt Wieters in their search for a bat. While that may seem like a curious fit at first glance, offseason signee Wilson Ramos will be out early in the season as he recovers from surgery to repair a torn ACL. Even when Ramos is healthy enough to take the field, it’s all but certain that the Rays will want to be cautious at first once he’s activated. Wieters could catch regularly for a good portion of the season and eventually be part of a catcher/DH timeshare with Ramos, in theory.
AL Central Notes: Frazier, V-Mart, Indians, Grossman
White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier is currently wearing a splint as he recovers from a sprained finger in his left hand, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (all Twitter links). Frazier first felt pain in his hand late in the season and experienced the issue again when he began his offseason workouts recently. He’s already had one MRI on the issue which appears to have checked out well, as Rosenthal adds that Frazier is expected to be ready for Spring Training. The injury hasn’t had any impact on the White Sox’ ability to trade Frazier this winter, per Rosenthal. It’ll be worth keeping in mind this spring and early in the season, though, as any lingering effects could impact Frazier’s performance and trade value as the year progresses.
A few more notes out of the AL Central…
- Tigers GM Al Avila told reporters, including Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press, that Victor Martinez played much of the 2016 season with a small hernia that he had surgically repaired in October. Fenech writes that the umbilical hernia repair was less significant than the sports hernia/core muscle surgery that many players undergo each season, adding that Martinez was back at full strength just a couple weeks after the surgery. Avila stressed that V-Mart is 100 percent healthy, noting that the slugger is planning to play for Team Venezuela in this year’s World Baseball Classic. Martinez is owed $18MM in each of the next two seasons — his age-38 and age-39 campaigns.
- The Indians are “scouring” the market and keeping an eye out for relievers, utility options and corner bats even after inking Austin Jackson to a minor league deal yesterday, Rosenthal tweets. Cleveland’s payroll is already at franchise-record level, and the 25-man roster looks to be largely rounded out, though there could be room on the fringes (e.g. the final bench spot or the final slot in the bullpen).
- Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press spoke to Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey about switch-hitting outfielder/DH Robbie Grossman, who opened last season with the Indians in Triple-A but opted out in April to sign a deal with the Twins. Grossman went on to slash .280/.386/.443 in 389 plate appearances with Minnesota and was especially productive against left-handed pitching. Falvey, of course, was an assistant GM with Cleveland last year and offered praise for Grossman’s abilities as well as a hint about his role on the 2017 Twins. “We didn’t quite have the spot for him at the major league level, but I’m really happy about what panned out for him,” said Falvey. “…Robbie’s a guy that clearly, from the right side of the plate, has a chance to do some damage — real damage.” Eddie Rosario and Max Kepler figure to see the bulk of playing time in left and right field, but both are left-handed bats that struggled against left-handed pitching last season, which could lead to a platoon arrangement of sorts in 2017.
Mariners Acquire Dillon Overton, Designate Jesus Sucre For Assignment
The Mariners announced that they’ve acquired left-hander Dillon Overton from the Athletics in exchange for minor league catcher Jason Goldstein. To make room on the 40-man roster, Seattle designated catcher Jesus Sucre for assignment. Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune first reported that Overton could be on the way to Seattle (on Twitter). The A’s had just designated Overton for assignment earlier this week when they signed veteran infielder Adam Rosales to a one-year deal.
Oakland’s second-round pick in 2013, the 25-year-old Overton made his Major League debut in 2016 but struggled to an ERA of 11.47 in 24 1/3 innings. He did have a solid campaign in Triple-A Nashville last season, however, racking up 125 1/3 innings of 3.29 ERA ball. Overton also averaged 7.7 K/9 against 2.2 BB/9 to go along with a 34.9 percent ground-ball rate in his time at Triple-A.
As recently as the 2015-16 offseason, Baseball America ranked Overton as the Athletics’ No. 8 prospect, though their assessment noted that Overton’s success would be determined by how much velocity he could regain following 2013 Tommy John surgery. Overton worked in the mid-90s in college but was in the upper 80s following his operation. The velocity seemingly never returned, as he averaged just 88.3 mph on his heater last year.
Overton has performed well at every minor league stop, though, and he has minor league options remaining, meaning the Mariners can send him back to Triple-A for further refinement. The Mariners’ rotation is full with Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, James Paxton, Drew Smyly and Yovani Gallardo all occupying spots. Left-hander Ariel Miranda is also on hand as an option in the case of injury, though he’s probably ticketed for long relief work to open the season.
Goldstein, 22, was the Mariners’ ninth-round pick just last summer. The Illinois native opened his pro career with Seattle’s affiliate in the Rookie-level Arizona League and finished out the year in short-season Class-A. Goldstein had just 68 total plate appearances in his brief time, hitting .279/.328/.311 in that time. He also threw out seven of the 14 runners that attempted to steal against him. Heading into the draft, Baseball America noted that he had limited power but handles a pitching staff well. Goldstein is no stranger to catching high-caliber arms, as he was the battery mate of 2015 first-rounder Tyler Jay (Twins) and 2016 first-rounder Cody Sedlock (Orioles) in college at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Sucre, 28, was out of options and looked to be a long shot to make the Mariners’ roster with both Mike Zunino and Carlos Ruiz ahead of him on the depth chart. (Seattle also claimed catcher Tuffy Gosewisch off waivers from Atlanta earlier today.) Sucre has excelled at throwing out baserunners in his career (35 percent) and typically receives average to above-average marks for his pitch-framing skills. However, he’s yet to produce at the plate in parts of four seasons in the Majors, batting .209/.246/.276 in 264 PAs.
Cubs Sign Brett Anderson
4:10pm: FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweets that Anderson will earn $500K for in his 11th start; $750K for his 14th and 17th starts; $1MM for starts 20, 23 and 26; and $1.5MM for reaching 29 starts.
3:50pm: The Cubs on Thursday formally added another arm to their rotation mix, announcing a one-year contract with left-hander Brett Anderson. The contract reportedly guarantees the oft-injured Anderson a relatively modest $3.5MM but has incentives that can boost its value to $10MM. Anderson is represented by the Legacy Agency.
Anderson, who’ll turn 29 on Feb. 1, made just four major league starts last year after missing the bulk of the season due to back surgery. He had accepted the Dodgers’ one-year, $15.8MM qualifying offer over the winter, but went down during Spring Training. Though it’s promising that Anderson was able to work back to the hill, he was roughed up in limited action.
That said, Chicago liked what it saw in a recent look at the southpaw per Rosenthal’s report, and perhaps can look to utilize him the same way they had intended with Tyson Ross — who was hotly pursued before signing with the Rangers. Both pitchers are looking to return to health and reestablish their trajectories.
It wasn’t all that long ago that Anderson seemed to have turned a corner. When he joined the Dodgers before the 2015 season, he hadn’t surpassed 100 innings in a single year since 2010. However, he went on to provide Los Angeles with 180 1/3 innings of 3.69 ERA ball with 5.8 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9, leading to the qualifying offer.
That sort of output likely represents the upside scenario for the Cubs, who have been looking to bolster their rotation depth. As things stand, Anderson and fellow lefty Mike Montgomery could battle it out for the fifth starter’s job, with the other perhaps heading to the pen for long relief and spot start duties.
The Cubs have also expressed interest in using a sixth starter more frequently as the season wears on, and that type of arrangement could help to keep Anderson healthy while also limiting the innings of fellow starters Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks and John Lackey, each of whom is coming off a significant workload thanks to the Cubs’ World Series run in 2016.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported the agreement (Twitter links). Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported the terms of the deal (via Twitter). ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted that Anderson had passed his physical.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
MLBTR Chat Transcript: 1/26/17
Click here to read a transcript of today’s chat with host Jeff Todd.