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Royals, Athletics Talking With Scott Kazmir

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6:32pm: The Athletics are also in the hunt for the free agent southpaw, he tells Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. There are numerous other teams still in the mix, though, she adds.

Oakland knows Kazmir as well as any team, of course. He spent all of 2014 and most of 2015 with the club after signing there as a free agent, and delivered plenty of value on his contract.

3:35pm: The Royals are in pursuit of free agent lefty Scott Kazmir, ESPN’s Buster Olney tweets. The Dodgers are also interested, as Olney notes (and as FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal also noted earlier this weekend). The Royals appear close to re-signing another starter, Chris Young, but it doesn’t appear that will keep them from searching for more pitching help.

Kazmir would, of course, immediately upgrade a Royals rotation that finished 12th in the AL with a 4.34 ERA last year. Kazmir’s 3.10 ERA, 7.6 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 2015 would have placed him among the Royals’ best starters. Kazmir struggled down the stretch after being traded from Oakland to Houston, and he didn’t fare well the third time through the order (when batters hit .280/.335/.452 against him), so he also seems likely to benefit from the Royals’ strong bullpen. The 31-year-old Kazmir’s previous two-year deal with the A’s paid him $22MM, although he seems well positioned for a significantly larger deal this time around.

Tigers Sign Jarrod Saltalamacchia

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The Tigers have announced the signing of catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, per MLB.com’s Jason Beck (Twitter links). GM Al Avila said that the Munsey Sports Management client will have an opportunity to compete for a position backing up presumptive starter James McCann.

Detroit will be committed to Saltalamacchia for only one year at the MLB minimum rate. He’ll still earn a healthy $8MM this year, however, as the Marlins are still paying down the rest of the free agent contract he signed with the team.

Salty, who’ll turn 31 early in the season, lost his spot in Miami last year after a rough 2014 campaign and slow start. He landed with the Diamondbacks, putting up a strong .251/.332/.474 slash in 194 plate appearances. The switch hitter has historically been quite excellent against right-handed pitching, making him a nice potential complement to the righty McCann.

Latest On Joakim Soria

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Here’s the latest on veteran closer Joakim Soria, one of the best relievers remaining on the free agent market, particularly with the Orioles closing in on re-signing Darren O’Day and with Ryan Madson having agreed to terms with the A’s.

  • It’s likely Soria will get a three-year deal, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (Twitter links). He’ll also be looking for some other protection in his deal: some kind of no-trade clause and an incentives package. (Rosenthal says the incentives would be to “cover him if he is used as a starter,” but that seems likely to be a typo; presumably, the veteran reliever would be looking to add some salary upside if he is used as a closer.)

Earlier Updates

  • Soria remains a potential fit for the Twins, Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press writes. Soria’s agent, Oscar Suarez, says his client doesn’t mind pitching in a setup role rather than closing, but adds that he doesn’t want to sign with a team likely to trade him in July. “If he’s got to be an eighth-inning guy, he’s got no problem with that, as long as he’s paid accordingly,” Suarez says. “[H]e’d like to be in a situation where he doesn’t have to worry about being flipped on July 31 if the team falls out of it. He’s looking for a team that’s committed to him.”
  • Of course, the Tigers actually did flip Soria last July, but they are open to re-signing him even after adding Francisco Rodriguez, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press writes. With K-Rod in the fold, Soria would serve in a setup role. The Tigers spoke to Soria before acquiring Rodriguez.
  • Other teams recently connected to Soria include the Blue Jays and Royals, as well as the Rangers and Giants. At last check, Soria was reportedly looking for a three-year deal in the $27MM range.

Dodgers “Making Progress” On Aroldis Chapman Deal

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4:57pm: The Dodgers are “making progress” on a deal involving Chapman, Rosenthal tweets.

4:13pm: The Dodgers are discussing a trade with the Reds that would bring Chapman to Los Angeles for prospects, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Obviously, the prospect package likely required to land Chapman would be considerable. The Dodgers do, of course, already have a terrific closer in Kenley Jansen, but having too many great ninth-inning options is an excellent problem to have. A dominant bullpen would also likely help ameliorate worries the Dodgers might have about their rotation, which just lost Zack Greinke to the Diamondbacks. As Rosenthal tweets, there’s also the possibility that the Dodgers could trade either Chapman or Jansen if they do trade for Chapman.

4:04pm: Reds GM Dick Williams expects that his club will deal star closer Aroldis Chapman, CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman tweets. There is, obviously, plenty of interest in Chapman, with potential trade partners including the Nationals, Astros and Diamondbacks as well as the Dodgers.

That the Reds plan to deal Chapman perhaps comes as little surprise — Chapman is eligible for free agency after the season, the Reds don’t appear likely to contend in 2016, and he ought to fetch a very significant return. The 27-year-old flamethrower was brilliant as usual in 2015, posting a 1.63 ERA, 4.5 BB/9 and a ridiculous 15.7 K/9 in 66 1/3 innings while winning his fourth straight All-Star berth in 2015. He also posted an average fastball velocity of 99.5 MPH that came in 1.4 MPH faster than the closest pitcher (the Royals’ Kelvin Herrera).

Marlins Notes: Lackey, Gordon, Fernandez

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Here are a few quick notes on the Marlins, all via CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman (all Twitter links).

  • The Marlins had interest in John Lackey to upgrade their rotation, Heyman writes. Lackey got two years and $32MM from the Cubs, and the Marlins have interest in a pitcher at around that price. They do have interest in Ian Kennedy, although he might turn out to be too expensive.
  • The Marlins have also had preliminary extension talks with second baseman Dee Gordon, tweets Heyman. They will meet with his agent, Rick Thurman of Beverly Hills Sports Council, at the Winter Meetings. Gordon, a Super Two player, will make a projected $5.9MM in his second year of arbitration eligibility in 2016 after leading the NL in hits, batting average and stolen bases (as well as times caught stealing) last season. If he doesn’t agree to a deal, he’ll be eligible for free agency following the 2018 campaign.
  • The Marlins do not intend to trade Jose Fernandez and have received only a few calls on him, Heyman says. Marlins exec Michael Hill recently told MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro that the team had not placed their ace on the block.

Dodgers To Sign Chase Utley

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The Dodgers have agreed to a one-year deal with second baseman Chase Utley, Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports tweets. The deal is believed to be for around $7MM, CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman tweets. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweeted that a deal was close. Utley is a client of the Wasserman Media Group.

USATSI_8856612_154513410_lowresThe 36-year-old Utley joined the Dodgers after an August trade with the Phillies and batted a modest .202/.291/.363, a line consistent with the notion that his hitting has declined steeply in the past two seasons. However, he had a very low .230 batting average on balls in play for the 2015 season, suggesting there’s room for him to rebound next year, and he was worth 4.4 fWAR in 2014 even as his hitting numbers declined. The Dodgers might be hoping he improves somewhat offensively, combining to produce sufficient value with his hitting and his solid glove.

The Dodgers also have a pair of interesting young second base options in Enrique Hernandez and Jose Peraza. Hernandez hit .307/.346/.490 in a super-utility role for the Dodgers in 2015, and though his minor-league track record suggests it’s unlikely he can keep up that kind of production, he does have pop in his bat. Peraza, acquired in the Dodgers’ three-team trade with the Braves and Marlins in July, lacks power but has youth, outstanding speed and a top prospect pedigree on his side.

By re-signing Utley, then, the Dodgers are giving themselves another option at second, quite reasonably hoping that one of their second basemen, or a combination of them, will produce. Such a signing would, however, suggest that they are unlikely to re-sign 2015 second baseman Howie Kendrick, who figures to be significantly more expensive and to require multiple years. By signing Utley, the Dodgers can clear the position for Peraza in 2017 if he shows he’s ready.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NL West Notes: Dodgers, Samardzija, Rockies

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The Dodgers remade their roster at last year’s Winter Meetings, and they already have plenty of irons in the fire for this year’s, the Los Angeles News Group’s J.P. Hoornstra writes. They need at least one starting pitcher, and maybe two, with Zack Greinke headed to the Diamondbacks. They could also address the second base position, and Hoornstra writes that he doesn’t see them re-signing Howie Kendrick, since they want to get younger next season. Here’s more from the NL West.

  • The Dodgers are looking for starting pitching for the second offseason in a row, but they haven’t yet landed any of the key starting pitchers to sign either this winter or last, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register writes. Though the Dodgers did make a fairly hefty bid for Greinke, they’ve operated cautiously when it comes to big free agent contracts. “Obviously with the free agent market – if you look back over time it hasn’t necessarily resulted in helping teams win in October. There’s just not that high a correlation between it,” Dodgers exec Andrew Friedman said last week. “On one hand, by making big splashy deals you win the winter headlines. But more often than not, you aren’t having a parade at the end of October.”
  • The Giants might have overpaid for Jeff Samardzija, whose $90MM deal appears to compensate him more for potential than performance, ESPN’s Keith Law writes (Insider-only). Samardzija’s size and stuff suggest he can be an ace, and if that’s what happens, $90MM will look like a pittance. He does not, however, have a track record commensurate with the amount the Giants have committed to pay him. Matt Cain’s recent struggles with the team demonstrate how risky long-term deals for pitchers can be, and Cain appeared to be far less risky than Samardzija is.
  • Nonetheless, Samardzija fills a big hole in the Giants’ rotation, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. “This guy is a horse,” says GM Bobby Evans. “Even in tough times, and what they were doing in Chicago last year, he still put 200-plus innings on the board. His numbers may have been affected by (being in the) third place he’s pitched in in two years. There may be some mechanical adjustments he needs to make.”
  • In an interview with FanGraphs’ David Laurila, Rockies GM Jeff Bridich shares a number of thoughts about how to win at altitude. The takeaway is that he generally believes the traits needed to succeed at Coors Field aren’t that different from the traits needed to succeed anywhere else. He does say, however, that the equation might be slightly different for hitters than for pitchers. “Our history shows that there isn’t one specific algorithm, or equation, for a pitcher that equals success here,” he says. “For position players, yeah, I would say that there are. But that’s not something I wish to talk about here. Some of that is proprietary as to how we look at players. With both, probably the best answer is, ‘To a certain degree.’”

Latest On Mike Leake

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Here are the latest tidbits on free agent starter Mike Leake (who has also recently been connected to the Giants, as well as to the Cardinals and Diamondbacks, who are discussed below).

  • The Cardinals, who have lost Lance Lynn to Tommy John surgery and John Lackey to the Cubs, are seriously considering Leake, CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman writes. In addition to David Price and Jeff Samardzija, the Cardinals also “tried hard” to sign Lackey. It appears, then, that they’ll have ample room in their budget to sign Leake if they make him a priority.
  • The Diamondbacks, however, could have the edge on signing Leake if they can make a strong offer, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal tweets. Leake lives near Phoenix and would like to stay there if possible. There is reportedly mutual interest between Leake and the Diamondbacks.

Diamondbacks Notes: Greinke, Leake, Trades

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Even after agreeing to terms with free agent ace Zack Greinke on a gigantic, gutsy contract, the Diamondbacks aren’t through looking for pitching help. There is still mutual interest between the Diamondbacks and free agent starter Mike Leake, Diamondbacks beat writer Jack Magruder tweets. The Giants are also still contenders for Leake’s services, Magruder notes — even though they, too, have committed a big chunk of change to a top free agent starter in Jeff Samardzija. Here’s more from out of Arizona.

  • While the Diamondbacks are interested in acquiring another pitcher, the amount of money they’ve committed to Greinke might mean they’re more likely to turn to the trade market, MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert writes. It’s very unlikely that they would trade A.J. Pollock, Gilbert writes, but they could deal from their collection of infielders.
  • Diamondbacks baseball isn’t usually a burning topic in December, even in Phoenix, but the Greinke deal changes that, Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic writes. It makes them a contender and it makes them relevant, and it also helps weaken their NL West foes in Los Angeles. It also reflects a change in approach for the Snakes, who lately have avoided the risk associated with expensive long-term deals.

Angels Could Pursue Yoenis Cespedes

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The Angels might make a run at free agent Yoenis Cespedes, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News tweets. Cespedes would, of course, provide an outfield solution for the Angels, who have been trying to find a third outfielder to start alongside Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun.

A left-handed hitter might be a better fit, given the Angels’ heavily right-handed lineup. Obviously, though, Cespedes’ bat would have an impact for any team, regardless of handedness. He hit .291/.328/.542 last season and was one of the keys to the Mets’ unexpected run to the playoffs, hitting 17 home runs in 249 regular season plate appearances for New York after a midseason trade. While his average seems fairly likely to drop next season, his power has been undeniable in four seasons in the Majors. He’s also very helpful in the field, where his arm is a tremendous asset.

As Joel Sherman of the New York Post notes, Cespedes did not hit well in the playoffs, and there are questions about his motivation and coachability. Still, the 30-year-old appears likely to fetch a nine-figure contract. Last month, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes predicted Cespedes would sign with the Angels for $140MM.

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