Dodgers Re-Sign Rich Hill
1:48pm: Hill gets a $2MM signing bonus and will earn $12MM in 2017, $16MM in 2018 and $18MM in 2019, according to the Associated Press.
12:02pm: The Dodgers announced today that they’ve officially re-signed left-hander Rich Hill to a new three-year contract. Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reported over the weekend that the two sides were closing in on a deal. Yahoo’s Tim Brown reports that Hill, an ACES client, will receive a $48MM guarantee over the life of the deal (Twitter link).
Hill, 37 next Spring, has had one of the most remarkable late-career renaissances in history, as he’s still just 18 months removed from pitching with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League. Hill parlayed a September roll of the dice by the Red Sox in 2015 into a one-year, $6MM deal with the A’s last offseason. For Hill, even last year’s $6MM represented a life-changing number, as he’d never earned more than $1MM in a single MLB season. Prior to this deal, Hill had earned just over $9MM in parts of 12 big league seasons, per Baseball Reference.
Despite a groin strain and a blister issue that limited him to 110 1/3 regular season innings in 2016, he proved to be a steal for Oakland, who traded him to the Dodgers alongside Josh Reddick for three well-regarded young arms (Jharel Cotton, Grant Holmes and Frankie Montas) just before the non-waiver trade deadline.
Over his past 152 1/3 Major League innings (including the postseason), Hill owns a ludicrous 2.13 ERA. He’s racked up 184 strikeouts against just 44 walks in that time while also keeping the ball on the ground at a roughly league-average rate. While the durability concerns that accompany him are very real — Hill has made more than 20 starts just once in his career, back in 2007 — Hill was the only arm on the free-agent market that had the potential to pitch at the top of a Major League rotation. The Dodgers, in need of quality innings behind ace Clayton Kershaw (who missed two months with a back injury in 2016), can afford better than any club to take this level of risk on Hill.
With this re-signing, Hill will join Kershaw, Kenta Maeda and Julio Urias in the team’s Major League rotation next season, and the Dodgers are teeming with options beyond that quartet. Los Angeles has three injury-prone options that have proven to be quality arms when healthy in Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-jin Ryu, but reports have indicated that the Dodgers are shopping Kazmir and McCarthy. Other options for the fifth spot include Alex Wood, Jose De Leon, Ross Stripling and Brock Stewart, giving president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, GM Farhan Zaidi and the rest of the L.A. front office plenty of flexibility as they explore various trade scenarios this winter.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Astros Claim Ashur Tolliver From Angels
The Astros have claimed left-hander Ashur Tolliver off waivers from the Angels, tweets Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle.
The 28-year-old reliever made his big league debut with the Orioles last season after impressing with a 2.23 ERA, 10.2 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 44 1/3 innings across three minor league level. However, Tolliver was still designated for assignment when the Orioles picked up Kyle Lobstein, and he want to the Angels on waivers shortly thereafter. Tolliver has just 4 2/3 big league innings under his belt, during which time he allowed three runs on five hits and three walks with five strikeouts, but he’ll give Houston an MLB-ready southpaw option to add to its depth chart.
Astros Sign Carlos Beltran
DEC. 5: The Astros announced that Beltran has passed his physical, making the contract complete.
DEC. 3: The Astros have agreed to a one-year, $16MM deal with free agent DH Carlos Beltran, ESPN’s Buster Olney writes (Twitter links). Beltran is an MVP Sports Group client. Beltran will receive a no-trade clause, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets. Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News had previously tweeted that Beltran would sign today. Since Beltran was traded last season, the Yankees could not extend him a qualifying offer, and thus the Astros will not have to sacrifice a draft pick.
[RELATED: Updated Houston Astros Depth Chart]
The Astros had repeatedly been connected to Beltran, and earlier this week it emerged that they were confident they could sign either Beltran or Edwin Encarnacion. The Red Sox, too, reportedly were very strongly interested in signing Beltran. The Yankees looked like a possibility as well, although Feinsand tweeted today that they were out of the running. Beltran agreeing to terms with Houston could pave the way for the Yankees to sign Encarnacion, though, as FOX Sports’ Jon Morosi tweets.
In Houston, Beltran will join a new-look Astros lineup that also now features catcher Brian McCann, left fielder Nori Aoki and right fielder Josh Reddick. Those three veterans will join a young core that includes Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman and George Springer, alongside top second baseman Jose Altuve.
Before the Beltran deal, Evan Gattis had been slated to fit in with the Astros at DH, and the Astros recently exercised their $5.2MM option on him. Gattis is coming off a strong season in which he hit .251/.319/.508 with 32 home runs. His exact role with the 2017 Astros is unclear, but he figures to catch sometimes (playing while McCann sits), while also sometimes playing corner outfield or DH’ing on days in which Beltran plays in the field.
Beltran turns 40 in April, but he showed no signs of slowing down last season, batting .295/.337/.513 with 29 homers for the Yankees and Rangers. That hitting line placed him among the game’s better designated hitters — the only ones who were markedly better were David Ortiz, Nelson Cruz and Encarnacion. The switch-hitting Beltran was particularly deadly against lefties, batting .338/.380/.589 with nine homers in 163 plate appearances, but he also hit righties well. Beltran no longer has the baserunning or defensive value he did as a young man, but his skills at the plate have aged remarkably well, as he’s topped an .800 OPS in five of the last six seasons.
Beltran now has 421 home runs in a career that stretches all the way back to 1998. In that span of nearly two decades, he’s played with both Astros manager A.J. Hinch (with the Royals in 2001 and 2002) and bench coach Alex Cora (with the Mets in 2009 and 2010). Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle tweets that Hinch and Cora’s familiarity with Beltran might have played a role in the Astros’ decision to acquire him. This will be Beltran’s second stint with the Astros — he hit .258/.368/.559 with 23 homers with them down the stretch in 2004.
MLBTR ranked Beltran the 33rd-best free agent available this offseason and predicted he would get a one-year, $14MM deal. The $16MM Beltran will receive next season is a slight raise on the $15MM per season he received on his previous three-year deal with the Yankees, and is the same as the amount Ortiz received in both 2015 and 2016.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Aroldis Chapman Seeking Six-Year Contract
Free agent left-hander Aroldis Chapman is seeking a six-year contract, he tells ESPN’s Marly Rivera. In speaking with Rivera, the flamethrowing southpaw also dispelled any notion that he has ever demanded a $100MM figure when speaking to another club. Said Chapman:
“The only thing I have expressed is that I would like a six-year contract. I know that doesn’t mean that I will get it, but that’s what I would like to sign. There are rumors out there that I requested $100 million and that’s not true at all. I believe he who deserves something, does not need to demand it.”
Earlier today, right-hander Mark Melancon shattered Jonathan Papelbon‘s previous record reliever contract ($50MM) when he reportedly agreed to a four-year, $62MM deal with the Giants. Chapman and fellow free agent Kenley Jansen are both widely expected to clear the Melancon figure by an even larger margin than Melancon cleared Papelbon, however. A six-year deal for Chapman doesn’t necessarily seem likely, but given widespread expectations that he’ll land a five-year deal, the possibility of a team going to six years is present. If Chapman does get to six years, one would have to imagine that he’ll top $100MM as well.
There are other factors to consider, though. One element that could impact the overall value of a deal would be an opt-out clause, and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that some officials that have been involved in talks with both Chapman and Jansen believe they’ll seek such a provision in their deal. Opt-out clauses typically require some concession in terms of the overall value of a contract, so it’s possible that Chapman could pursue a deal that’ll allow him to re-enter the market after two or three years. And considering the fact that he’ll pitch all of next season at 29, he could seek such a clause and still hit the open market for a second time at a young enough age to cash in on an even larger commitment.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald have both written about Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria’s affinity for Chapman today, and the Yankees are also a team that has been oft-inked to Chapman. ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers reported today that there’s been “no momentum” toward a long-term deal between the Cubs and Chapman, further suggesting that Chicago won’t make a significant play to re-sign Chapman after surrendering with a large amount of young talent to acquire him prior to the non-waiver trade deadline back in July.
Marlins’ Owner Driving Pursuit Of Top-Tier Closers
The Marlins have been somewhat surprisingly tied to names like Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman, and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports that the Marlins’ pursuit of the market’s top closers is coming at the urge of owner Jeffrey Loria. Spencer notes that signing any of the “big three” available closers would push Miami well past a $100MM payroll for just the second time in franchise history, but Loria is seemingly comfortable with that fact. According to Spencer, the Marlins’ payroll could rise as high as $115MM next year.
Right-hander Mark Melancon is reportedly nearing a deal with the Giants, which would leave Jansen and Chapman as the top two potential targets for Miami. FOX’s Ken Rosenthal reported last night that the Marlins were willing to offer upward of $80MM to Jansen despite the qualifying offer that is attached to his name. And, earlier this morning, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that Loria “loves” Chapman and has been speaking directly to the agents for the top relievers himself thus far.
Either Jansen or Chapman would be a massive boost to Miami’s relief corps and would give the team a potentially dominant late-inning trio, as right-handers A.J. Ramos and Kyle Barraclough both have gaudy strikeout numbers. It’s been rumored that the Marlins could field offers for Ramos this winter, though, so there’s obviously some degree of fluidity in the organization’s plans to solidify its pitching staff.
Also of note for Marlins fans, FanRag’s Jon Heyman reports (via Twitter) that they’re interested in veteran A.J. Ellis as a potential backup to young catcher J.T. Realmuto. Jeff Mathis has been Miami’s reserve catcher in recent seasons, but he recently inked a deal with the Diamondbacks, leaving the Fish in the market for some catching help.
Astros Gauging Interest In Collin McHugh, Mike Fiers
The Astros are known to be looking for a front-end arm to add to their rotation, but they’re also “dangling” right-handers Collin McHugh and Mike Fiers in an effort to create flexibility on their roster and in the payroll, reports ESPN’s Jayson Stark.
McHugh, 29, has been one of the Astros’ best finds since Jeff Luhnow took over as the team’s general manager. Plucked off waivers from the Rockies three years ago, McHugh has given the ‘Stros 543 innings of 3.71 ERA ball over the past three seasons, but his ERA has trended in the wrong direction in each of the past two seasons. The 2016 campaign saw McHugh log a respectable 4.34 ERA with 8.6 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 and a 41.3 percent ground-ball rate in 184 2/3 innings. Those are still solid secondary stats, though, and metrics like FIP, xFIP and SIERA all suggest that he pitched better than his ERA indicates, pegging him in the upper-3.00s and low 4.00s. He’s controllable through the 2019 season and is projected to earn $4.6MM next year by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz.
Fiers, too, is controllable through the 2019 season, though he’s a bit older. The 31-year-old posted a 4.48 ERA with 7.2 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and a 42.2 percent ground-ball rate in 168 2/3 innings out of the Houston rotation last year. Fiers has seen his strikeout rate trend down in recent years, but his ground-ball rate has increased in its place. He’s also been rather consistent in terms of showing solid control throughout his big league career. Fiers is projected to earn $4.3MM in arbitration, so like McHugh, he’d be affordable for any team from a financial standpoint.
Bullpen Rumors: Melancon, Marlins, Lefties, Diamondbacks
There’s plenty of bullpen chatter circulating as the Winter Meetings get underway. Here’s the latest…
- The latest updates on Mark Melancon last night revealed that the three-time All-Star has received multiple four-year offers, potentially in excess of $60MM in some cases. The Nationals have indeed made a four-year offer to closer Mark Melancon, according to Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post, but their offer was for less than $60MM guaranteed. That makes a reunion look unlikely for now, barring an increase in the offer from the Nats.
- FanRag’s Jon Heyman writes that Melancon is the Giants‘ top target, and Greg Holland could be their primary alternative, as opposed to either Aroldis Chapman or Kenley Jansen. Heyman feels it’s unlikely that they’d pursue either Jansen or Chapman if they fall to land Melancon. The Giants and Nationals are pushing the hardest for Melancon, tweets Heyman.
- The Nationals, Marlins, Cubs, Dodgers, Yankees and Giants are all in on Kenley Jansen, per ESPN’s Jim Bowden. Heyman tweets that the Marlins are intent on adding a top closer, and owner Jeffrey Loria is a fan of Chapman in particular. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that Loria is at the Winter Meetings and is participating in meetings with the representation for top-tier bullpen arms.
- The Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays, Indians, Dodgers, Rockies and Diamondbacks are all in the market for a bullpen lefty, putting names like Mike Dunn, Boone Logan and Jerry Blevins in a good position, Heyman tweets. Heyman also tweeted this morning that the D-backs are focused on the bullpen at the moment and have no plans to “shock the world” like they did last offseason.
- Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times tweets that veteran southpaw Joe Beimel is at the Winter Meetings and is seeking a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training. Beimel, 40 in April, hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2015 but had a nice two-year stretch in Seattle from 2014-15, posting a 3.12 ERA in 92 1/3 innings.
Edwin Encarnacion Rumors: Monday
The draft pick forfeiture that is attached to Edwin Encarnacion has been hampering his market, reports ESPN’s Jayson Stark. The lack of a draft pick attached to Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday made them more attractive short-term options for the Astros and Yankees, and Stark calls Encarnacion a “textbook case for why the union made eliminating first-round draft-pick compensation such a top priority” in the recent CBA negotiations.
Here’s the latest on Encarnacion’s market…
- Toronto’s signing of Steve Pearce “certainly” spells the end of Encarnacion’s time in Toronto, tweets Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi. On paper, it’s possible to see Pearce, Encarnacion, Kendrys Morales and Justin Smoak coexisting on the same roster, but certainly there’s some redundancy there.
- The Indians have checked in on Encarnacion, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Cleveland definitely has a need at first base with Mike Napoli hitting free agency, and Encarnacion could split time there and at DH with Carlos Santana. However, financial constraints are always a factor for the Indians, and while they’re coming off a deep World Series run, spending at the likely levels that are necessary to sign Encarnacion would represent a significant departure from past tendencies for Cleveland.
- ESPN’s Jim Bowden reports that the Rangers are also a team to watch on Encarnacion, noting that GM Jon Daniels has a history of acting opportunistically when a player’s market changes. Bowden, too, calls Cleveland a sleeper team in the Encarnacion sweepstakes. He also floats the idea of Encarnacion following the path of Yoenis Cespedes from last winter: signing a three-year deal with a high annual value and an opt-out clause after the first year. Of course, the difference in age between Cespedes and Encarnacion is notable; Cespedes re-entered the free-agent market in advance of his age-31 season, while Encarnacion would be doing so prior to his age-35 campaign.
Blue Jays Sign Steve Pearce
The Blue Jays have announced a two-year, $12.5MM contract with first baseman/outfielder Steve Pearce. ESPN’s Buster Olney had reported earlier this morning that talks between the two side were gaining some traction.
The 33-year-old Pearce will bring to Toronto a strong right-handed bat that can either share time with Justin Smoak at first base (though Smoak is a switch-hitter, he hits right-handed pitching better than lefties). Pearce’s lefty-mashing ways will complement Smoak’s skill set nicely, and he also has plenty of experience in the corner outfield, where the Jays are lacking options with both Michael Saunders and Jose Bautista hitting the open market. What the signing means for Edwin Encarnacion remains to be seen. Certainly, Toronto could view Pearce and Smoak as a serviceable combination at first base and shift focus to the corner outfield. As was the case with the addition of Kendrys Morales, this signing doesn’t seem to preclude a reunion, but it does appear to further diminish the likelihood of a deal.
Dating back to 2013, Pearce has slashed a robust .266/.348/.485 with an average of 27 homers per 162 games played. He’s been especially productive against southpaws in that time, batting .272/.359/.523 in 418 plate appearances. From a defensive standpoint, Pearce has more than 650 innings at both corner outfield spots and first base, and he’s also 242 innings at second base over the past two seasons with the Rays and Orioles. While Pearce may not contend for a Gold Glove anytime soon, his defense in both outfield corners and at first has graded out as average to slightly above average over the course of his career (per Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating).
Pearce underwent forearm surgery back in September, but that procedure was said to come with a four- to six-month recovery timeline, suggesting that he should on track for Spring Training. That the Jays felt confident enough to offer two years would indicate that his rehab is progressing as planned. It’s a notable departure from last winter, when Pearce languished on the free agent market into late January before he took a one-year deal with the Rays.
Olney was the first to report the agreement and the terms of the deal (via Twitter).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Talks Between Blue Jays, Steve Pearce Gaining Traction
Talks between the Blue Jays and free agent first baseman/outfielder Steve Pearce have begun to gain traction, reports ESPN’s Buster Olney (on Twitter). The two sides are progressing toward a deal, Olney adds.
Pearce, 33, underwent forearm surgery in September that was said to come with a four to six month recovery timeline, but he’s been quite productive for the bulk of the past four seasons when healthy. Dating back to 2013, Pearce has slashed a robust .266/.348/.485 with an average of 27 homers per 162 games played. He’s been especially productive against southpaws in that time, batting .272/.359/.523 in 418 plate appearances.
Of course, the greater question for Jays fans would be whether the addition of Pearce would close the door on a reunion with longtime cornerstone Edwin Encarnacion. Toronto has already inked Kendrys Morales to a three-year, $33MM deal this winter, and with Pearce potentially joining Justin Smoak in the mix at first base, it could further limit the urgency to extend a lucrative offer for Encarnacion. Then again, Pearce does have extensive experience on the outfield grass, and the Jays do have a need in the corners, so it’s not impossible to see a scenario in which both right-handed sluggers suit up with the Jays in 2017.