Howie Kendrick Reportedly Prefers To Be Traded
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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Astros Interested In Brian McCann
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
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.
MLBTR Chat Transcript
Click here to read today’s MLBTR Chat transcript With Jason Martinez: November 9, 2016
Tyler Lyons Out Five To Six Months Following Knee Surgery
The Cardinals are already known to be in the market for left-handed relief help, and their need may have intensified, as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that southpaw Tyler Lyons underwent surgery to correct “ongoing pain and trouble with the joint” — a procedure which GM John Mozeliak says will sideline the 28-year-old for five to six months.
[Related: St. Louis Cardinals Depth Chart]
A best-case scenario, it would seem, would have Lyons available to the Cardinals in mid-May, although certainly with any type of significant surgical procedure there’s a chance of setbacks and/or a prolonged rehabilitation process.
Lyons, 29 in February, posted a 3.38 ERA with a 46-to-14 K/BB ratio in 48 innings out of the St. Louis bullpen this past season and has a 3.58 ERA in 108 innings dating back to 2015. He was especially tough on left-handed hitters in 2016, limiting same-handed opponents to a laughable .156/.214/.250 batting line. With Lyons on the shelf for the early portion of the 2017 season, at least, Zach Duke out for the entire year following Tommy John surgery and another depth option (Dean Kiekhefer) lost to the Mariners on waivers, left-handed relief will unquestionably be a point of focus for the Cards in the months to come. As it stands, Kevin Siegrist again projects to be the top lefty in manager Mike Matheny’s bullpen, with other options including Marco Gonzales, Tim Cooney, Ryan Sherriff and Corey Littrell.
If the Cardinals look outside the organization, though, the free agent market bears a number of options, including Brett Cecil, Boone Logan, Jerry Blevins and Mike Dunn, among others.
Padres To Open Extension Talks With Wil Myers
Padres general manager A.J. Preller said today that he plans to sit down with first baseman Wil Myers‘ agent this week to begin exploring a contract extension, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (via Twitter).
Myers, a CAA Sports client, managed to stay healthy for a full season for the first time in 2016 and delivered a breakout campaign with the Padres. In 676 plate appearances, the soon-to-be 26-year-old batted .259/.336/.461 with 28 homers and a surprising 28 stolen bases while also contributing plus defense at a new position. Both Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating pegged Myers’ defense at eight runs above average despite the fact that he had fairly limited exposure to first base, having spent the bulk of his pro career catching and in the outfield.
Eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter, Myers is projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn $4.7MM next year, so the urgency for him to take an extension isn’t necessarily as present as it would be for a player that was still years from arbitration. The former top prospect’s first significant Major League payday is all but assured, though certainly there’s still reason for him to express interest in a long-term deal to offer more immediate financial security. And from a practical standpoint, Myers broke into the league at a young enough age that he could theoretically sign a five-year deal, buying out two free-agent seasons, and still hit the open market before his age-31 campaign.
Looking at the situation through the Padres’ lens, it’s easy to see how Myers can fit into the long-term picture. As MLBTR’s Jason Martinez noted in his Offseason Outlook on the Padres, San Diego doesn’t even have one guaranteed contract on the books for the upcoming season, so if the Padres and Myers’ agent can agree on a price point, there are no financial roadblocks elsewhere on the roster to impede a long-term commitment to Myers.
Minor MLB Transactions: 11/9/16
Time to catch up on some recent 40-man roster moves:
- The Brewers outrighted righties Yhonathan Barrios and Ben Rowen as well as catcher Josmil Pinto, per MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert and Adam McCalvy. Barrios cracked the bigs briefly in 2015 but missed all of 2016 with shoulder issues. The 27-year-old Rowen has minimal major league experience, but did put up a strong 2.33 ERA with 7.0 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 over 58 minor league frames last year. As for Pinto, who’s also 27, he’s still waiting for another shot at the majors. His .308/.362/.517 batting line over 315 plate appearances could warrant interest.
- Recently-claimed lefty Jed Bradley has been shipped to Triple-A and off of the Orioles‘ 40-man, the team announced. Plucked from the Braves, where he briefly debuted last year, Bradley will be a useful stashed arm if a need arises.
- The Indians announce that catcher Adam Moore was outrighted. He has one of the more interesting Baseball-Reference pages you’ll ever see. Since receiving significant time in 2010 with the Mariners, he has bounced around quite a bit but managed to appear in the majors in every seasons since. Yet Moore has accumulated just fifty total MLB plate appearances in that six-year span. He’ll surely land as a depth piece somewhere, if he doesn’t return to Cleveland.
- Righty Dustin Molleken elected free agency after being outrighted by the Tigers. The 32-year-old finally reached the majors in 2016, allowing four earned runs on 12 hits and five walks against eight strikeouts over his 8 1/3 innings. Otherwise, he has spent the last five years pitching in Japan or the highest level of the minors.
- The Twins outrighted right-hander Alex Wimmers, as Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press tweets. Wimmers threw his first 17 1/3 major league innings last year, putting up a 4.15 ERA with 14 strikeouts and 11 walks. In his 56 2/3 Triple-A frames on the year, he worked to a 3.97 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9.
- The Dodgers dropped righty Chin-hui Tsao from their 40-man roster, as MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick tweets. Now 35, Tsao has made just seven appearances over the last two seasons. All of his prior major league action came between 2003 and 2007.
- Catcher A.J. Jimenez had his contract selected by the Blue Jays, per a club announcement. He had been removed from the 40-man last spring, but will now be added to prevent him from departing as a minor league free agent. Jimenez has been in Toronto’s system since 2008, but has yet to reach the majors. he posted a .241/.290/.377 batting line over 248 plate appearances at Triple-A last year.
- The Giants added righty Ian Gardeck to their 40-man roster, as John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. He missed all of last year due to Tommy John surgery. Gardeck’s most recent showing came at the High-A level in 2015, when he pitched to a 3.54 ERA with 10.8 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 over 86 1/3 innings.
Offseason Outlook: San Francisco Giants
MLBTR is publishing Offseason Outlooks for all 30 teams. Click here for the other entries in this series.
It turns out an even year had nothing to do with the Giants winning a World Championship. The secret formula all along had been a combination of great starting pitching, timely hitting and a reliable bullpen. While they did win 87 games and clinch a Wild Card berth before losing to the Cubs in the NLDS, it was clear that the “reliable bullpen” portion was a missing ingredient in 2016.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Buster Posey, C: $110MM through 2021. Contract includes a $22MM club option in 2022 with a $3MM buyout.
- Johnny Cueto, SP: $115MM through 2021. Cueto can opt out after the 2017 World Series. Contract includes a $22MM club option in 2022 with a $5MM buyout.
- Brandon Belt, 1B: $72.8MM through 2021.
- Brandon Crawford, SS: $69MM through 2021.
- Jeff Samardzija, SP: $79.2MM through 2020.
- Hunter Pence, OF: $37MM through 2018.
- Denard Span, OF: $28MM through 2018. Contract includes a $12MM mutual option in 2019 with a $4MM buyout.
- Matt Cain, SP: $28.1MM through 2017. Contract includes a $21MM club option in 2018 with a $7.5MM buyout.
- Madison Bumgarner, SP: $13MM through 2017. Contract includes a $12MM club option in 2018 with a $1.5MM buyout and a $12MM club option in 2019.
- Matt Moore, SP: $8.75MM through 2017. Contract includes a $9MM club option in 2018 with a $1MM buyout and a $10MM club option in 2019 with a $750K buyout.
Arbitration Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projections via MLB Trade Rumors)
- Eduardo Nuñez, IF/OF (5.090) – $4.4MM
- Conor Gillaspie, 3B (4.028) – $900K
- George Kontos, RP (3.171) – $1.7MM
- Will Smith, RP (3.155) – $2.3MM
- Cory Gearrin, RP (3.136) -$1.1MM
- Ehire Adrianza, INF (2.131) – $513K
- Non-tender candidates: Gearrin
Free Agents
San Francisco Giants Depth Chart; San Francisco Giants Payroll Information
The Giants’ offseason needs are pretty obvious. Closer is priority number one. Left field, although not nearly as urgent, would be the other void that general manager Bobby Evans will likely fill this offseason. Other than that, they’re still in very good shape.
Future Hall of Famer Bruce Bochy is entering his 23rd season as a Major League manager—2017 will be his 11th season with the Giants—and closing in on 1800 regular season victories to go along with his three World Series titles and four National League Championships. He’ll lead a group of talented players with a ton of playoff experience and still in the prime of their career.
The starting rotation remains the strength of their roster. Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto might form the best 1-2 punch in baseball. Jeff Samardzija gave the team over 200 quality innings in year one of his five-year, $90MM contract. Matt Moore was very good after he was acquired on August 1st, especially when it counted the most. The 27-year-old lefty was dominant over his last three starts (23.2 IP, 3 ER, 11 H, 4 BB, 27 K), including Game Four of the NLDS.
Matt Cain should get the first shot at filling the No. 5 spot in the rotation, mostly because he’s making close to $21MM in 2017. The three-time All-Star, who averaged 32 starts from 2006-2013, has been on the disabled list more often than not over the past three seasons. When healthy enough to take the mound, he’s nowhere near as effective as he once was. While the walk and strikeout rates haven’t changed much, his WHIP and ERA have skyrocketed. It’s unclear how much the injuries have to do with his decline and whether he can bounce back at age 32. Fortunately, the Giants have plenty of depth and several young candidates who could step in if necessary.
Chris Heston, who missed most of 2016 with an oblique injury after an impressive rookie season, could be Cain’s top competitor. Clayton Blackburn, Ty Blach and Chris Stratton have nothing left to prove at the Triple-A level and figure to get a long look in Spring Training. None of the three, as is the case with Heston, has more than mid-rotation potential, but won’t be asked to be more than a No. 5 in the Giants’ rotation.
Top pitching prospect Tyler Beede, the 14th pick in the 2014 draft, could also force himself into the picture after posting a 2.81 ERA with 3.2 BB/9 and 8.2 K/9 in 24 Double-A starts in 2016. Former Marlins ace Josh Johnson, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2013 because of injuries and will turn 33 in January, will also be in MLB camp.
Despite the struggles of the bullpen in 2016, the group of pitchers expected to bridge the gap to the yet-to-be-acquired closer can be quite good. Lefty Will Smith, another August 1st trade acquisition, is one of the top lefty setup men in the league, though he wasn’t necessarily treated that way upon arriving in San Francisco. Fellow lefty Steven Okert has the potential to be one of the best rookie relievers in 2017. Derek Law and Hunter Strickland, while not able to step in and solidify the closer role once Santiago Casilla floundered late in 2016, were still very good overall and should be more than adequate in late-inning setup roles. George Kontos has a 2.49 ERA in 154 relief appearances over the past three seasons and the versatile Albert Suarez should also contribute.
With three of the best closers in baseball available on the free agent market, the Giants are expected to pounce on one as quickly as possible. However, they’ll have to outbid several teams that also have a need at the closer position. The Cubs, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Nationals and Yankees could all make aggressive bids for Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen and Mark Melancon. Even if the closer market is limited to those six teams — which is no sure thing with other organizations possibly looking to bolster their pens –three of them will be left to choose between Greg Holland, who is returning from Tommy John surgery, and a long list of much less appealing former closers, including Jonathan Papelbon, Fernando Rodney and Koji Uehara. Jeremy Jeffress, who was an effective closer for the Brewers before a mid-season trade to the Rangers, is a potential trade candidate. The Orioles and Royals could also shop their respective closers, Zach Britton and Wade Davis, albeit with lofty price tags that would likely scare off any suitors that weren’t absolutely desperate.
The 2017 Opening Day lineup will look a lot like the 2016 version—Denard Span, Brandon Belt, Buster Posey, Hunter Pence, Brandon Crawford and Joe Panik are all penciled into starting spots once again—aside from a new third baseman and, unless Pagan is re-signed, a new left fielder.
Late-season hero Conor Gillaspie, who went 7-for-14 with a homer and two doubles in his last five regular season games and 8-for-19 in the post-season, including a game-winning homer in the Giants’ Wild Card game victory, probably did enough to put him in the mix at third base in 2017. Eduardo Nuñez, an All-Star in 2016 before he was acquired from the Twins in late July, could prove to be the better option, though. Regardless of whether he wins the starting job at third base, his speed (40 SB), power (16 HR) and versatility (he can play 2B, 3B, SS, LF and RF) will ensure he’s in the lineup on a regular basis.
A platoon in left field with Jarrett Parker (.942 OPS in 151 career plate appearances versus right-handed pitchers) and either Gorkys Hernandez or Mac Williamson isn’t out of the question, but there are several proven options on the free agent market that the Giants could sign.
If the Giants are willing to pay top dollar and significantly increase their payroll, Yoenis Cespedes could be on their radar. The cost of finding a good closer likely decreases those chances, though, which would make Ian Desmond, Dexter Fowler and Josh Reddick more likely targets. If the plan is to not increase their payroll significantly, Jon Jay or Matt Joyce could be more cost-efficient options, as would bringing back free agent Angel Pagan. The trade market should also present some options with Jorge Soler one of the notable players expected to be shopped.
Keeping this veteran core of talent together isn’t cheap. Even with the salaries of Casilla, Javier Lopez, Jake Peavy, Sergio Romo and Pagan coming off the books, the Giants are projected to be very close to the 2016 payroll total before making a move. My current projection has them around $170MM, the fifth highest total in baseball. Signing one of the top free agents this offseason would require either a payroll increase, creative contract structuring or a trade. If Evans can make it happen, though, the Giants will enter the 2017 season with one of the most talented and well-balanced rosters in the league.
Angels Re-Sign Andrew Bailey, Designate Shane Robinson
The Angels have agreed to a one-year, $1MM deal with free agent righty Andrew Bailey, per a club announcement (with salary via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, on Twitter). The deal also includes incentives, which may be tied (at least in part) to the possibility that he could function as the team’s closer.
Outfielder Shane Robinson was designated for assignment to clear roster space, the team also announced. The 32-year-old seemed to be a fairly obvious non-tender candidate already after turning in 111 plate appearances of .173/.257/.235 hitting last year.
Bailey, 32, threw well down the stretch for the Halos, even racking up six saves over a dozen appearances late in the season. He ended with a 2.38 ERA in his limited duty in Los Angeles, with eight strikeouts against two walks.
Once the closer for the Athletics, Bailey was sent to the Red Sox in exchange for Josh Reddick before the 2012 season. While Boston thought it was getting a controllable, shutdown reliever, Bailey struggled to stay healthy and wound up contributing just 44 innings over two years. He ended up missing all of 2014 following shoulder surgery and joined the Yankees (where current Angels GM Billy Eppler then was employed) as a minor league free agent.
The 2016 season, then, was a notable one for Bailey, who topped forty major league innings for the first time since 2011. He certainly finished on a high note with the Angels, even returning to some 9th-inning duties for the first time since 2013. Of course, Bailey’s first 32 1/3 innings in 2016 (with the Phillies) weren’t quite as good: he posted a 6.40ERA with 9.2 K/9 against 4.2 BB/9 in that span.