Heyman’s Latest: Puig, Turner, Braun, Votto, Weaver, Holliday, Howard, Crawford, Victorino
Jon Heyman of Fan Rag’s latest notes column begins with a lengthy examination of a resilient Dodgers team. He also drops a note on the demoted Yasiel Puig, who is not only demolishing Triple-A pitching, but is drawing great reviews for his attitude. Heyman reported further on Puig earlier today, explaining that the Dodgers have fielded interest in trade talks, but mostly have been spurning efforts by rival organizations to get him on the cheap.
- Speaking of Puig, the division-rival Diamondbacks are said to have engaged in “some brief talks” on the talented 25-year-old. That engagement doesn’t seem to have resulted in any traction, however, so it doesn’t sound as if there’s any reason to believe that there could be a match between the organizations.
- The Dodgers are expected to attempt to bring back third baseman Justin Turner, who has been an incredibly productive player since coming to the organization on a minor league deal in 2014. Heyman does note that Turner’s age (he’ll turn 32 in November) could limit L.A.’s interest in a long-term deal with the pending free agent.
- After Ryan Braun‘s no-trade protection seemingly gummed up any inclination the Brewers may have had to trade him this summer, Heyman writes that the team is expected to explore trade scenarios this winter. Age, cost, injury history, a PED past, and the no-trade rights will make that a complicated proposition, but Braun’s .317/.380/.562 slash line holds obvious appeal.
- The Blue Jays‘ previously reported effort to land Reds first baseman Joey Votto at the 2015 trade deadline may have petered out with the changes in the team’s baseball operations department. But the talks likely would’ve continued had Alex Anthopoulos remained at the helm, says Heyman, and the organization had been prepared to add Votto even after paying big to land Troy Tulowitzki and David Price. Per the report, though, the teams never got terribly far down the line in hashing out a deal.
- Angels righty Jered Weaver has already made clear that he isn’t ready to discuss his plans for 2017, when he’ll be a free agent, but Heyman says that some in the organization believe he may retire. The 33-year-old is struggling through his worst season in the majors, with a 5.47 ERA over 138 1/3 innings.
- While the Cardinals and outfielder Matt Holliday seemingly have good cause to continue their productive relationship, it’s far from clear whether the team will be willing to cough up $17MM to exercise its 2017 option. That said, Heyman notes that it’s possible to imagine the sides coming to an alternative arrangement to keep Holliday in St. Louis.
- Heyman also provides some updates on some of the game’s other elder statesmen. Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is said to be “determined” to continue his career after the all-but-inevitable decision by the Phils to decline the club’s option. Free agent outfielders Carl Crawford and Shane Victorino appear to be eyeing comeback efforts in 2017.
Rick Hahn Disputes Reports Of Discord, Talks White Sox Plans
The White Sox sit at five games under .500 as September nears, which is certainly not what the organization expected coming into the season. With a disappointing campaign all but assured at this point, GM Rick Hahn discussed several notable topics with the media today.
Hahn vehemently denied that there is any discord in the Chicago front office, as has been suggested, saying that the members of the organization’s upper management “are of a similar mindset as to how best to proceed.” Collen Kane of the Chicago Tribune provides the full quote on Twitter. “We’ve had a number of conversations, both [president Kenny Williams] and I, as well as Kenny, [owner Jerry Reinsdorf] and I, about the best way to approach the offseason and what we want to accomplish,” said Hahn. “And once the offseason rolls around, we will start executing that plan.”
The big question remains whether the South Siders will push to supplement their talented core, embark upon a rebuild, or perhaps take a middle course of some kind. Hahn wasn’t inclined to tip his hand, but did suggest it should be rather easy to divine the team’s direction after it begins making moves this winter, as Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com tweets. Reading between the lines a bit, that would seem at least to hint that the team will chart a generally aggressive buying or selling course.
Hahn did make clear that selling off veteran pieces has at least received serious consideration from the organization, as Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com reports (Twitter links). “There also comes a point where there is a level of frustration with the way things have played out over the last couple of years,” said Hahn. “I’m not saying [a rebuild] is the route we’re going to go, but I assure you there is absolute openness from Jerry, Kenny, myself.”
Meanwhile, the veteran executive passed along some notable injury news. Center fielder Austin Jackson is almost certainly done for the year after failing to show sufficient progress from his meniscus tear, as Hayes was among those to report. He had signed with Chicago in hopes of re-entering the free agent market this year with a better platform season, but a rough start and lengthy injury absence have only further harmed his standing.
The Sox also expect that third baseman Matt Davidson will be out the rest of the way given the seriousness of his foot fracture. He had finally earned a big league promotion right before getting hurt, but will need to wait until next year for a full chance at an audition. Infielder Brett Lawrie, meanwhile, is dealing with what is now being called a knee and calf problem; he doesn’t have a specific timeframe to return but is expected back this year.
Shelby Miller Demotion Expected To Delay Free Agency
The Diamondbacks have scheduled right-hander Shelby Miller for at least one more Triple-A start, which Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic says will leave the 25-year-old unable to accrue enough days on the active roster this year to reach four full years of MLB service.
Miller is sitting at 3.133 on his service clock at present, says Piecoro. That means he would need to return to the major league roster by Thursday to reach 172 days and move from the 3+ to the 4+ arbitration class. Miller had been on track to qualify for free agency after the 2018 season. Now, it seems, the Diamondbacks will control him for 2019 as well.
The Snakes demoted Miller to Triple-A as he scuffled through an abysmal campaign. He has lasted just 69 1/3 frames in 14 big league starts and has been tagged with a 7.14 ERA on the year. That’s far from what the team expected when it traded a talented trio of players to add him over the winter.
Arizona will still need to tender Miller an arb contract this fall to retain him, of course. Miller is earning $4.35MM this year, his first season of eligibility. He won’t command much of a raise given his struggles, but will still earn a fairly significant salary.
Diamondbacks chief baseball officer Tony La Russa said that the team’s handling of Miller was not tied to service time. “I don’t know if it’s true or not,” La Russa said of the calculation of service days presented by Piecoro.
While Arizona obviously has ample cause to ask Miller to work things out at Triple-A, it is fair to note that he has been much better there. Over his 46 frames, Miller carries a 3.52 ERA and — more importantly — has recorded 10.0 K/9 against just 1.8 BB/9.
Dodgers Acquire Carlos Ruiz, Send A.J. Ellis To Phillies
The Dodgers have added another Phillies stalwart, bringing in veteran catcher Carlos Ruiz via trade. In an interesting twist, Los Angeles will send its own long-time backstop, A.J. Ellis, back to Philly in the swap.
The Phillies will also pick up some other assets in the deal. Young righty Tommy Bergjans is on his way to Philadelphia, along with a player to be named later or cash considerations.
There’s a financial element to the deal, too. Ruiz’s $8.5MM salary still has about $1.85MM left to go on the year, while there’s a little less than $1MM owed Ellis in his final season of arbitration eligibility (which was costing the team $4.5MM). The Dodgers will presumably also be obligated to pay Ruiz a $500K buyout on his $4.5MM club option for 2017 — unless the team elects to pick it up.
Ruiz had spent all of his 17 professional seasons with the Philadelphia organization, including the last eleven at the major league level. The trade leaves Ryan Howard as the lone remaining member of the Phillies’ 2008 World Series-winning roster.
Now, Ruiz will join long-time Phillies teammates Chase Utley and Joe Blanton in Los Angeles in search of another playoff run. Ruiz will obviously still play a reserve role, befitting his age and the excellent play of Dodgers starter Yasmani Grandal. But the Dodgers will part with Ellis to facilitate the addition, ending his own 14-year tenure with the organization (with parts of nine campaigns in the bigs).
[RELATED: Updated Dodgers & Phillies Depth Charts]
In terms of 2016 on-field results, it’s not hard to see the reasoning for the move from L.A.’s perspective — even if it comes with some risk given Ellis’s vaunted clubhouse status and relationship with ace Clayton Kershaw. The NL West-leading Dodgers have watched the 35-year-old Ellis limp to a .194/.285/.252 batting line over 161 plate appearances, marking the second time in the last three years that he has put up well-below-average offensive numbers.
Ruiz, meanwhile, is every bit the respected leader that Ellis is. But he has also been far more productive in what is his age-37 campaign, slashing a sturdy .261/.368/.352 while striking out just 28 times against 24 walks. (Ellis, it should be noted, also still delivers impeccable plate discipline.)
All told, a swap of reserve backstops hardly constitutes the most impactful mid-season move we’ve seen as contending teams re-shape their rosters for the stretch run. But it’s a unique trade involving two players who were among the most familiar faces in their respective organizations, and may conceivably carry implications that aren’t immediately evident on the stat sheet.
Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer first reported the trade (via Twitter).
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rangers Designate Drew Stubbs, Activate Carlos Gomez
The Rangers have designated outfielder Drew Stubbs for assignment, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter). His roster spot will go to the just-signed Carlos Gomez, who has been activated.
[RELATED: Updated Rangers Roster]
Gomez will go right onto action for Texas, playing left field and slotting into the eighth spot in the lineup. He is moving across the state after a hugely disappointing run with the Astros, who cut him loose recently. The Rangers are only on the hook for a pro-rated portion of the league minimum, and will surely hope that Gomez can provide a quality glove and at least begin to turn things around somewhat at the plate.
As for the 31-year-old Stubbs, this represents his second trip through DFA limbo this year. He joined the Rangers after being cut loose earlier by the Braves, playing at Triple-A until his recent promotion. Stubbs has been hitting well in his very brief major league stint with the Rangers, putting up an unusual .300/.400/.600 slash in 25 plate appearances.
Indians Release Tommy Hunter
The Indians announced this afternoon that they’ve released right-hander Tommy Hunter. The veteran reliever hasn’t pitched in the Majors since mid-July due to the fact that he was placed on the disabled list with a non-displaced fracture in his back that he sustained in a fall at his home over the All-Star break (as Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported at the time).
Hunter, 30, inked a one-year, $2MM pact with the Indians as a free agent this offseason and opened the season on the disabled list as he recovered from sports hernia surgery. He pitched well upon activation, however, logging a 3.74 ERA with 7.1 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9 in 21 2/3 innings out of the Cleveland bullpen. After struggling as a starter for much of his early career with the Rangers and Orioles, Hunter carved out a nice role for himself as a reliever, posting a 3.26 ERA in 207 1/3 innings from 2013-15.
Hunter had already begun a minor league rehab assignment, pitching six innings with Triple-A Columbus over the past couple of weeks and appearing in a game as recently as yesterday, so there’s reason to believe that he could still pitch at the big league level this season despite his recent injury troubles.
Marlins Designate Oswaldo Arcia For Assignment
The Marlins announced that they have designated outfielder Oswaldo Arcia for assignment in order to clear a spot on the roster for the newly acquired Jeff Francoeur. Arcia had only recently been claimed off waivers from the Rays, but his time with the Marlins will amount to just two games/two plate appearances.
The 25-year-old former top prospect has now been designated for assignment three times this season — once by the Twins and once by the Rays prior to today’s move. Arcia showed promise coming up through the Twins system and in 2013-14 when he batted .241/.302/.441 with 34 homers across 200 games in his first two big league seasons after debuting as a 21-year-old. However, Arcia’s defensive shortcomings in the corner outfield are tough to overlook, and he’s posted lofty strikeout totals while hitting poorly against left-handed pitching in the Majors. Over the past two seasons, his power has taken a dip, and an extended run at the Triple-A level in 2015 yielded just a .199/.257/.372 slash.
Nonetheless, Arcia is still young and has shown some legitimate pop against right-handed pitching in his career, so he makes some sense as a bench bat for a contending club looking for some left-handed punch. In 715 career plate appearances against right-handed opponents, Arcia has slashed .244/.316/.467 with 36 home runs. He’s out of minor league options, so any club that claims him will have to carry him on its big league roster. However, with rosters set to expand a week from today, that’s not as tall an order as it would be earlier in the season.
MLBTR Live Chat: 8/25/16
Click here to read a transcript of today’s chat with host Jeff Todd.
D-Backs Nearing Extension With CEO Derrick Hall; Stewart Decision Unlikely Before End Of Season
The Diamondbacks are nearing an eight-year contract extension with president and CEO Derrick Hall, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. The new contract will replace Hall’s expiring contract and run through the 2024 season. Hall has been the club’s president since 2006 and CEO since 2008.
While Hall’s fate looks to be sorted out (with the result coming as little surprise), the same can’t be said of chief baseball officer Tony La Russa and GM Dave Stewart, both of whom are currently in limbo as their superiors (Hall included) evaluate what has been a wildly disappointing season for the D-backs. Stewart’s contract is reported to have an option that must be exercised by the end of the month of August, but Hall tells Piecoro that the team will push that decision back a ways. “We’ve decided we’ll go until the end of the season and then we’ll evaluate everything,” said Hall. “It was pretty successful last year, and we know there have been a lot of injuries, a lot of things haven’t gone our way. There’s a lot to think about here.”
In an effort to take some of the heat off of his baseball ops department, Hall stressed that while La Russa and Stewart may be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the club, he plays a role in those decisions by having a say on final approval as well. “I’m obviously just as guilty with approvals or disapprovals and all the meetings I’m a part of,” he said. “I think we all have to look in the mirror right now when it comes to baseball and really turn the page and start to produce.”
Piecoro also asked Hall about a weekend report from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, which stated that Hall and owner Ken Kendrick stepped in and vetoed a trade of Shelby Miller to the Marlins and the dismissal of manager Chip Hale. Hall didn’t deny either report, and in reference to Miller said that he didn’t feel this was an instance of ownership being too involved in operations, explaining that about 95 percent of proposed deals receive approval, but there is also a “small percent that we challenge or push back.” Regarding Hale, Hall simply said that as was the case with Stewart, the team plans to see how the remainder of the season plays out before making any kind of final decision. Hale, like Stewart, has an option on his contract for the 2017 season.
The D-backs have limed to a 53-74 record that is currently tied with the Padres for the second-worst in all of Major League Baseball this season. Injuries to the likes of A.J. Pollock, David Peralta, Chris Owings, Zack Greinke and Rubby De La Rosa (among others) have certainly played a significant role in that lackluster performance but have also magnified the poor results from a number of the team’s other recent personnel moves, prompting speculation about the futures of La Russa and Stewart.
Mariners To Activate James Paxton, Designate Wade LeBlanc For Assignment
The Mariners will make a series of roster moves this afternoon, per Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune, who reports that lefty James Paxton will be activated from the disabled list with fellow southpaw Wade LeBlanc being designated for assignment in order to clear a spot on the roster. The Mariners will also option right-hander Tony Zych to Triple-A and recall infielder Mike Freeman to give the club another bat as Kyle Seager nurses a sore foot.
LeBlanc, 32, was picked up from the Blue Jays back on June 22 in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations and gave Seattle a series of steady starts to help stabilize the rotation amid injuries. In 44 2/3 innings out of the rotation, LeBlanc turned in a 4.43 ERA with a 34-to-9 K/BB ratio, managing to work his way around an alarming 12 homers in that time. He’s also made three relief appearances, yielding three earned runs in 5 1/3 innings out of the bullpen.
Paxton, 27, has been out for most of August after suffering a contusion on his left forearm when he was hit by a comebacker. He’s posted a 3.53 ERA with 8.0 K/9 against 2.0 BB/9 in a career-high 81 2/3 innings for the Mariners this season.