NL Notes: Tulo, Teheran, Braves, Reds, Niese
In an appearance on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM, Rockies GM Jeff Bridich said that he is “at least open to considering” a deal involving star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (Twitter link). Last we checked in, Tulowitzki said he was not interested in being dealt, and he is believed to have significant sway with club ownership over his status. All said, there remains little reason to believe at present that Tulo is a serious trade candidate.
We already touched upon a series of interesting rumors involving National League clubs earlier today, but here’s the latest out of the NL:
- Despite recent chatter that the Braves could consider dealing starter Julio Teheran, the young righty is “not being shopped,” David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports on Twitter. Given his cheap control, O’Brien says the team would need to be overwhelmed by an offer to consider such a move.
- Indeed, the Braves are more likely to hold off on deciding whether to part with Teheran or outfielder Cameron Maybin, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reports. The more likely trade pieces for Atlanta, he suggests, are veterans on one-year deals such as reliever Jim Johnson, utilityman Kelly Johnson, and catcher A.J. Pierzynski. The Braves have been asked about outfielder Nick Markakis, who still has three years left on his free agent deal, but the team is not making him available. And while Juan Uribe could well be dealt, the club reportedly prefers to attempt to move Chris Johnson first.
- An executive of a club with interest in adding a hitter says the Reds are giving the impression that they are looking to “save money” wherever possible, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports on Twitter. That seemingly speaks to the availability of outfielder Jay Bruce, who recent reports indicate is very much in play.
- The Mets are still willing to deal Jon Niese, but are asking for a player with multiple years of control in return, Stark tweets. The southpaw has turned up his performance of late, racking up eight straight quality starts (at least 6 innings pitched, no more than 3 earned runs) since a run of rough outings to end the month of May. He is playing on a $7MM salary this year and represents a $9MM tab for 2016, but can be controlled thereafter through a pair of options ($10MM and $11MM, respectively, each with $500K buyouts). Given New York’s evident budgetary restrictions, it has seemed that moving Niese’s salary could be a way for the club to free resources to allocate to the struggling offense, but it’s not clear whether they’ll have much hope of pulling that off in a single transaction.
Astros Acquire Scott Kazmir
Athletics starter Scott Kazmir is headed to the Astros in the year’s first major trade, Oakland has announced. Returning to the A’s in the deal are righty Daniel Mengden and catcher Jacob Nottingham, per the release.
Trade talks were said to be “heating up” late yesterday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported. She tabbed Houston as the likely suitor, and indeed that has come to fruition.
He’ll return to his home town in the deal. The Astros had previously pursued him in free agency, but he decided to join the A’s on a two-year, $22MM pact. Kazmir will finish that contract with the Astros, and will also pick up a $500K assignment bonus in the process. Because he was acquired in the middle of the year, the Astros won’t be able to extend Kazmir a qualifying offer, which should aid his free agent case.
In Kazmir, the Astros get a top-performing starter to slot into the club’s rotation. Though he has long been dogged by injury questions, any such concerns are much less prevalent in a rental scenario. The 31-year-old, who burst back onto the scene after a long layoff, threw 190 1/3 quality innings last year and has been even better in 2015. He owns a 2.38 ERA over 109 2/3 frames, with 8.3 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 to go with a 45.9% groundball rate.
ERA estimators view Kazmir more as a mid-three earned run per nine talent, but that’s plenty useful for a Houston rotation that was in need of good innings down the stretch. He’ll join Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh atop the rotation, which also features the sturdy Scott Feldman and youngsters Lance McCullers Jr. and Vincent Velasquez. Astros GM Jeff Luhnow said that the acquisition gives his club “one of the deepest rotations in the American League,” adding that he hopes the move makes Houston “a viable force,” as Mark Berman of FOX 26 tweets.
By moving for a short-term piece, Luhnow avoided the need to part with the organization’s highest-rated minor league talent. That could keep some powder dry should the club look to add a bat or other piece. While neither of the pieces going to Oakland have received much hype, though, it’s worth bearing in mind that they come from a deep Houston system and have improved their stock with their 2015 performances. And A’s GM Billy Beane obviously preferred to add the pair rather than attempting to pick up a draft pick by offering Kazmir a qualifying offer after the season.
Mengden, 22, holds the 19th overall spot in MLB.com’s ranking of Astros prospects. A fourth-round pick in 2014, the righty is said to have four pitches with some promise. That could make him a rotation piece down the line, though some view him as a reliever in the long run. Mengden dominated at the Class A level this year, though he’s slowed somewhat since moving up to High-A, with a 5.26 ERA and 8.7 K/9 against 3.3 BB/9 over 49 2/3 innings.
Meanwhile, in Nottingham, the A’s will add Houston’s 22nd-rated prospect, per MLB.com, which says there are some questions whether he can stick behind the dish. He just earned a call-up to the High-A level, and has put up big numbers as his promising power has turned into production. Over 329 total plate appearances this season, Nottingham owns a .326/.383/.558 slash with 14 home runs. That performance bumped the backstop into the top-ten of Houston’s pre-MLB talent in Baseball America’s mid-season update.
While both acquired players obviously have some real promise, it’s notable that Beane elected for a return of more projectable, far-from-the-majors assets. His offseason moves seemingly focused more on adding talent at or near the major league level. It will certainly be interesting to see whether the club follows suit if (or, more likely, when) it moves some of its other veteran pieces.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported on Twitter that Kazmir was headed to Houston. Ron Kroichik of the San Francisco Chronicle reported (Twitter links) that a move was afoot.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Images. Post initially published at 12:13pm central time on 7-23-15.
Indians Listening On Starters; Discussed Carrasco With Blue Jays
The Indians may be more willing to listen to trade scenarios regarding their controllable pitching than they have indicated publicly, according to a report from Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (Twitter links). In particular, they’ve spoken with the Blue Jays regarding righty Carlos Carrasco.
There are other appealing arms under long-term control in Cleveland — Corey Kluber, Danny Salazar, and Trevor Bauer most notable among them. But the report indicates that the Indians are most willing to consider a deal involving Carrasco. The 28-year-old carries only a 3.94 ERA this season after last year’s breakout, but his peripherals (10.1 K/9, 1.9 BB/9, 49.0% groundball rate) suggest he’s rather an elite performer. And ERA estimators all value his work this season at a sub-3.00 level.
Expanding Carrasco’s value is the fact that he’s only just started playing under a four-year, $22MM extension inked over the winter. That deal includes two option years (both of which include escalators) that could boost its total value to $48MM. Even at that price, though, it looks to be quite a bargain. And the flexibility at the back end limits the already-reasonable risk.
With the Tigers still debating whether to market David Price and the White Sox still waiting to decide on Jeff Samardzija, the AL Central suddenly seems to hold the key to the starting pitching market. It remains to be seen whether some or all of those players will seriously be marketed, though at least Samardzija seems a good bet to change hands.
Carrasco, though, would be a much more palatable target for Toronto since he comes with plenty of affordable future control. As Passan notes in his report, the Jays have a number of notable young talents that would certainly hold appeal to Cleveland — he mentions Jeff Hoffman, Daniel Norris, Dalton Pompey, and Anthony Alford — and it would be much easier to part with one or more for a non-rental.
On today’s MLBTR podcast, Steve Adams and I discussed the possibility of Cleveland moving an asset such as Carrasco — possibly as a means of offloading some of the big salaries owed to players like Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. It’s unclear what kind of deal might conceivably be structured between the two clubs, but it’s notable (as Steve and I also covered) that Toronto has significantly more open payroll capacity in the future than they do at present. Taking on some later-in-time money could in theory offer a route to acquiring a controllable arm while limiting the damage to the club’s talent pipeline.
Podcast: American League Overview
After last week’s National League trade deadline preview, MLBTR’s Steve Adams joins host Jeff Todd to cover the American League, discussing how every team might approach the trade deadline. We’ve seen Scott Kazmir change hands since the recording late last night, but there’s still plenty to digest with trade season officially underway. Will the Yankees make significant additions? How do the Royals deal with their injuries and seize the opportunity? Click play for that and more …
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The MLB Trade Rumors Podcast runs weekly on Thursday afternoons.
Deadline Rumors: Cespedes, Cishek, Price, Gallardo, Jays, Royals, Reds, Alvarez, Padres
In another twist regarding the free agent deal he signed out of Cuba, Tigers outfielder Yoenis Cespedes would be effectively precluded from signing with the team as a free agent after this year unless he is traded away in the interim, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. It was already a matter of common knowledge that the club could not make him a qualifying offer after the year, since his deal requires that he be released five days after its conclusion. But Rosenthal now cites a CBA provision providing that a released player also cannot be re-signed by his club until May 15 of the ensuing year. While Detroit could hold Cespedes and attempt to work out an extension at any point up to five days after the World Series, it would otherwise be unable to bring him back unless he sat out a good portion of the 2016 campaign — a highly unlikely scenario. Of course, moving him now would prevent the team from working out a deal until the power-hitting outfielder becomes a free agent. As Rosenthal notes, Cespedes has told friends that he hopes to remain with the Tigers, and Detroit has given every indication that it intends to compete next year even if it moves some pieces this summer.
There are a ton of important deadline developments to cover in the wake of the Scott Kazmir trade, so let’s get to them:
- There is increasing action on Marlins reliever Steve Cishek, as MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald report (Twitter links) that there are multiple clubs involved — some with more apparent interest than the previously-reported Cardinals. The Twins are among the teams continuing to monitor the righty, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets.
- The Dodgers currently have David Price of the Tigers as their number one target, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets. But the expectation is that Detroit will hold their decision until next week.
- Indeed, the Giants recently spoke with the Tigers regarding outfielder Rajai Davis, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports on Twitter, but were left with the impression that Detroit is still unsure of its course of action.
- Another player on the Dodgers radar is Rangers righty Yovani Gallardo, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Though nothing is close, the two clubs have had discussions.
- The Blue Jays sought to land Kazmir before he went to Houston, Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports on Twitter. With the market beginning to move, the team appears to be ramping up is efforts to add a starter, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets.
- Both the Blue Jays and the Royals are “all-in” on Reds starter Johnny Cueto, ESPN.com’s Jim Bowden reports (Twitter links). Kansas City is also considering Mike Leake from Cincinnati as well as Jeff Samardzija, Dan Haren, and Mat Latos. But the club is not interested in Cole Hamels, James Shields, or Yovani Gallardo, per the report.
- Reds GM Walt Jocketty says he has a green light to sell pieces, MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reports. They’ll make moves “if it makes sense, but we’re not going to give away players,” says Jocketty. “We’ve been talking with a lot of different people, but we haven’t been receiving offers that have us wanting to commit.”
- One rival general manager tells Passan that the Pirates are working hard to move first baseman Pedro Alvarez (Twitter link). We’ve heard previously that Pittsburgh has interest in an upgrade, and presumably it would make an addition if it can find a taker for Alvarez.
- Meanwhile, the Padres are officially open for business, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (via Twitter). In addition to Justin Upton, the team could move relievers Craig Kimbrel and Joaquin Benoit, outfielder Will Venable, and any number of starters. Rosenthal says that Tyson Ross is perhaps the least likely rotation piece to change hands.
Indians Unlikely To Trade Moss, Aviles; Listening On Chisenhall
The 2015 Indians have not yet made good on their evident promise, in spite of quality performances from many of the team’s better long-term pieces. That frames them as a possible seller, though a late run is not out of the question. Reflecting recent comments from GM Chris Antonetti, however, the latest rumors suggest that a large-scale sell-off is unlikely, with the club perhaps looking instead to re-tool for 2016.
- Cleveland is “unlikely” to deal outfielder Brandon Moss, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. The 31-year-old would undoubtedly draw interest, though he’s produced a somewhat tepid .220/.293/.424 batting line. Moss does have 15 home runs, has suffered from a .261 BABIP despite a ton of hard contact, and is earning only $6.5MM with one year of arbitration control remaining. He’s also looked better in the field in the eyes of advanced metrics. All of those factors leave the Indians motivated to keep him in the fold for next season.
- An entirely different set of considerations will likely keep Mike Aviles in Cleveland, Rosenthal reports (Twitter links). The veteran utilityman is dealing with a terribly unfortunate family situation, as his four-year-old daughter is being treated for leukemia at the Cleveland Clinic. Despite receiving some interest, the Indians have (admirably) determined not to trade Aviles in light of those circumstances.
- The Indians are, however, willing to move third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports on Twitter. He’s currently playing in Triple-A after scuffling to start the year and only comes with two more years of control (his salary this year is $2.25MM). But the 26-year-old has shown more in the past and is putting up solid, if unspectacular, numbers at Columbus. Olney suggests he could be a bench piece for a team like the Mets, and the former top-fifty prospect carries some upside down the line.
Trade Market For Center Fielders
There doesn’t appear to be a ton of demand on the market for center fielders, in large part because no team in baseball has suffered through truly awful contributions from its present options. A number of clubs that have fallen back (including the Padres, Rangers, Mariners, Athletics, Phillies, and Braves) could potentially have interest in acquiring future-oriented pieces. But as the above link shows, center has been a position of relative strength for many contenders. The Twins rank at the bottom of the list, thanks largely to the since-departed Jordan Schafer, but seem likely to roll with the resurgent Aaron Hicks (with Byron Buxton also now available at the big league level). It’s a somewhat more interesting situation (at least in theory) for the Cardinals, who sport a controllable combination of Jon Jay and Peter Bourjos that has fallen flat after being rather good last year. On the whole, most deadline buyers seem likely to focus on adding center field-capable players to utilize in a corner spot or as fourth outfielders. Let’s turn to the potentially available targets:
Current Starters
Carlos Gomez (Brewers), Gerardo Parra (Brewers), Ben Revere (Phillies), Cameron Maybin (Braves), Will Venable (Padres), Charlie Blackmon (Rockies), Austin Jackson (Mariners), Rajai Davis (Tigers), Michael Bourn (Indians)
- Gomez has been slowed by hamstring and hip injuries in 2015, but he’s still produced a very strong .271/.338/.442 batting line, homering eight times and stealing 11 bases to go along with standout defense. Gomez has gone from looking like an all-glove center fielder to a solid regular to a borderline superstar over the past few seasons. He was worth about 6.5 wins above replacement in both 2013 and 2014, and he’d be close to that pace were it not for 2015 injuries. Gomez is the rare Scott Boras client that took an extension which bought out free agent years. As such, he’s controlled through next season — his age-28 campaign. He’ll earn just $9MM in 2016 and is owed $3.3MM through the end of the current season.
- Parra is better equipped to serve as a corner outfielder but is capable of handling center field. (He manned center much of the time that Gomez was sidelined.) Defensive metrics have soured on Parra over the past two seasons after ranking him as one of the best defenders in baseball, though his limited work in right field this year grades out quite well. His bat has erupted in 2015 as well, and while there’s some BABIP help at work, he’s also just hitting for far more power than he ever has. Parra’s batting .315/.352/.514 this season and is drawing appeal from many teams. He’s owed about $2.59MM through season’s end, but he’s a pure rental, as he’s eligible for free agency this winter.
- Revere’s another player that is probably best-suited in a the corner — specifically left field due to a poor throwing arm. Revere makes up for that lack of a throwing arm with plenty of range, though, and he’s handled all three outfield positions in some capacity this season. Revere offers virtually no power, but he has blistering speed and consistently hits for a high average. He swiped 49 bases in 2014 and is a career .292 hitter. Revere doesn’t walk much and probably never will, but his .296/.334/.377 batting line would look just fine atop many big league lineups. He’s a Super Two player that is earning $4.1MM in 2015 and is controlled through 2017.
- Maybin entered the season as a candidate to rebound in his new Atlanta digs, and he’s done just that. Maybin’s hitting .284/.350/.403 with eight homers and 16 steals. Defensive metrics are way, way down on Maybin in 2015, though he was generally regarded as a plus defender when healthy in previous seasons. Maybin’s owed about $2.9MM through the rest of the current season, plus $8MM in 2016 and at least a $1MM buyout on his $9MM option for the 2017 season. The Braves reportedly are at least open to moving him, though given the remaining control, I imagine they’ll be asking for a substantial package.
- Venable plays a better corner outfield than center field, but he’s seen a large portion of time in center this season following the additions of Justin Upton and Matt Kemp. He’s a rental that’s earning a very reasonable $4.25MM in 2015, of which about $1.77MM remains. Venable’s been just about league average with the bat in 2015 and throughout his career, when adjusting for the fact that he plays in Petco Park. He’s a career .251/.316/.412 hitter, but those numbers would trend upward if he played his home games elsewhere; Venable’s batted .233/.300/.389 at home and .268/.331/.433 on the road in his career.
- Speaking of home/road splits, Blackmon entered the 2015 season with a large discrepancy between his production at and away from Coors Field (like hundreds of hitters before him). However, he’s closed that gap significantly this season and, in fact, has hit nine of his 12 homers on the road. Blackmon still doesn’t hit lefties much, but he brings a nice combination of speed and power to the table. He’d probably be tough to pry away from Colorado, but he’s controlled through 2018. The Rockies desperately need pitching but do have a large number of promising outfielders in the minors, so perhaps a club with a large number of minor league arms could entice Colorado to move the 29-year-old.
- Jackson’s production at the plate has tanked since being traded to Seattle. He’s rebounded somewhat in 2015, hitting .257/.300/.353, but those numbers aren’t particularly close to the .277/.332/.414 line Jackson posted in parts of five years with Detroit. He’s still above average from a defensive standpoint, though, and a move to another team could help to rejuvenate his bat. He’s owed about $3.16MM through the end of the season and is eligible for free agency this winter.
- Davis’ name has only joined the mix of trade candidates recently, with the news that the Tigers may wind up going the way of seller this summer. The two-year, $10MM contract he signed has proved to be a bargain for Detroit, as Davis hit well in 2014 and is doing so again in 2015 with a .261/.321/.412 batting line to go with 14 steals. Davis has about $2.05MM to go on his contract, and a club looking for speed as well as a potent bat against lefties (career .302/.357/.447) would do well to add the 34-year-old to its ranks.
- Nothing’s gone right for Bourn since he signed a four-year, $48MM contract with the Indians. He’s had multiple hamstring injuries, one of which required surgery and cost him the bulk of the 2014 season. Bourn posted a six-win season with the Braves as he entered free agency, but he’s a shell of his former self now. His average, OBP and slugging percentage are all below .300, he’s not stealing bases, and the hamstring issues look to have caused his defense to deteriorate as well. He’s still owed a whopping $19.5MM through the end of the 2016 season. Bourn is a salary dump candidate for any club that wants to try to “buy” a prospect (as the Braves did with Touki Toussaint) or perhaps agree to take on his contract as a means of persuading Cleveland to part with one of its talented young pitchers. Shedding that contract probably has more value to a tight-budgeted Cleveland team than it would to many other clubs.
Backups/Fourth Outfielders
Sam Fuld (Athletics), Drew Stubbs (Rockies), Brandon Barnes (Rockies), Matt den Dekker (Nationals), Kirk Nieuwenhuis (Mets), Ezequiel Carrera (Blue Jays), Abraham Almonte (Padres), Melvin Upton Jr. (Padres)
- Fuld, Stubbs and Barnes all have extensive big league experience as part-time outfielders in the Majors. Each has decent platoon numbers against opposite-handed pitching (particularly the right-handed hitting Stubbs), although Barnes has curiously struggled against lefties this year. Stubbs and Fuld have five-plus years of service time and can be free agents at season’s end. Stubbs, in particular, is a pricey commodity, as he agreed to a $5.825MM contract this offseason on the heels of a big 2014 season.
- Nieuwenhuis, den Dekker, Carrera and Almonte have been up and down over the past few seasons. All hit left-handed and can handle center field relatively well, though they all offer less offense than the three center fielders listed in the previous bullet. Almonte’s probably the best defender of the bunch.
- Upton, of course, has seen his star fade since signing a five-year, $72.5MM contract with the Braves prior to the 2013 season. His contract is among the most burdensome in the game, and the Padres would undoubtedly be open to creative scenarios in which they could offload some of the commitment. That’s a long shot, of course.
Currently in the Minors
Rusney Castillo (Red Sox), Jackie Bradley Jr. (Red Sox), Dalton Pompey (Blue Jays), Marcell Ozuna (Marlins), Justin Ruggiano (Mariners), Arismendy Alcantara (Cubs), Craig Gentry (Athletics)
- Castillo and Bradley Jr. may have gotten longer looks in the Majors by now were they on a different team. The jury is out on whether or not Bradley will ever hit in the Majors, but he’s a premium defender with plenty of speed and enough upside that other clubs would love to give him a trial. Castillo signed a seven-year, $72.5MM contract with Boston last summer but hasn’t received consistent big league at-bats. He’s also looked injury prone in the minors, though that’s partially due to a very aggressive playing style. It seems doubtful that the Sox would really want to move him so soon after making such a strong commitment, but other teams may have some interest in plugging him into the big league outfield.
- Pompey opened the season as Toronto’s center fielder but struggled in the Majors. He was optioned to Triple-A and struggled a great deal there as well before being demoted to Double-A and getting on track. He’s an MLB-ready piece that could help Toronto land a much-needed rotation upgrade.
- Ozuna had a breakout 2014 season but hasn’t hit much in 2015. Some scouts questioned his conditioning early in the year. He was demoted to Triple-A after failing to show the same power or on-base skills he did last year. Ozuna and agent Scott Boras didn’t feel the time was right to talk extension this offseason — a decision that now looks questionable. The Marlins probably still hope he’s part of the future, but one would think he has to be more available now than he was this winter.
- Ruggiano’s a big league veteran that hits lefties well but is shaky in center field from a defensive standpoint. He’s raked at the Triple-A level since being outrighted following a disappointing run in Seattle’s offense-suppressing park.
- Alcantara’s future may be as a super utility player, but he’s not far removed from ranking as a top prospect. He got his feet wet with the Cubs in the bigs last season but has barely seen time at that level in 2015. He’s hitting for power in the minors but not showing much in terms of average or OBP (.249/.305/.464).
- Gentry is a defensive wizard who just didn’t hit much in his second season with the A’s. He typically handles lefties well, and he has plus speed. He’s similar to Bourjos and could help a club needing to patch a leaky defense.
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You can check out the rest of this ongoing series by using the “2015 Trade Market” tag, or by clicking on these links: Catchers, First Basemen, Second Basemen, Shortstops, Third Basemen.
Rotation Rumors: Royals, Teheran, Price, Padres
The starting pitching market appears to be in flux, with numerous buyers reportedly considering an array of options and a variety of potential sellers weighing whether to deal away impact arms. Here are the latest rumors on the rotation front:
- The Royals are interested in both Johnny Cueto of the Reds and Yovani Gallardo of the Rangers, as well as other arms, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. Both, obviously, would be pure rental pieces, and we’ve mostly heard of Kansas City connected to half-year contracts. The club’s level of need certainly went up with the loss of Jason Vargas, though it’s unclear whether that will prompt any effort to add more than one pitcher.
- Some rival executives believe that the Braves are willing to deal Julio Teheran, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. But an Atlanta source indicates that the team sees too much upside in the young righty (and his reasonably-priced extension) to consider such a move. Teheran, 24, has not matched his excellent results over the prior two seasons, but it does seem hard to imagine the club selling low on him unless president of baseball operations John Hart is just not a believer in his future.
- Rosenthal also addresses the possibility of the Tigers dealing David Price, noting that the team is unlikely to retain him beyond this year if it doesn’t. If and when Detroit puts him on the market, some of the most obviously starting pitching buyers — the Dodgers, Cubs, Blue Jays, and Astros — would have interest, per the report.
- The Padres are not only all ears on outfielder Justin Upton, but are “listening … intently” on soon-to-be free agent starter Ian Kennedy, tweets Jayson Stark of ESPN.com. Meanwhile, rival executives say that San Diego would “love” to find a taker for righty James Shields. Given that we’ve also heard suggestions that the Padres are holding conversations regarding Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner, it would appear that the club is considering a variety of possible scenarios involving its staff.
Orioles May Be Willing To Discuss Kevin Gausman
TODAY: O’s skipper Buck Showalter says it is “comical” to suggest the possibility of the club dealing Gausman, in an appearance on MLB Network Radio (Twitter link).
YESTERDAY: The Orioles “appear to be willing” to consider including highly-regarded young righty Kevin Gausman in a deadline deal, Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports on Twitter.
Baltimore’s lack of movable, high-level prospects has been discussed often this summer, as the team has dealt with injuries to Hunter Harvey and Dylan Bundy. While Gausman is no longer a prospect after seeing big league time in each of the last three years, his value lies primarily in the future.
[RELATED: Orioles Interested In Justin Upton, Carlos Gomez]
The 24-year-old Gausman showed plenty of promise last season, when he put up 113 1/3 innings of 3.57 ERA pitching, all from the rotation. He struck out 7.0 and walked 3.0 batters per nine in that stretch. Gausman has mostly worked at Triple-A or from the big league pen this year, though he’s set to start tonight and has opened three additional games. The results (5.00 ERA in 27 innings) have not been as impressive, but Gausman continues to dominate in the upper minors and his big league peripherals are as solid as ever.
It had been expected that Gausman would be off limits, particularly since he factors into the team’s current plans and the team already gave up Eduardo Rodriguez last year. But with Baltimore looking to take advantage of a group of veterans that are set to hit the open market, to say nothing of a generally vulnerable AL East, it appears that the team will at least entertain the possibility of dealing its best young pitcher.
Obviously, the O’s will not part with Gausman lightly. And it remains to be seen precisely what kind of acquisition would be needed to get a deal done. One factor increasing Gausman’s trade value is that he only just passed one year in MLB service time. That means that he can be controlled all the way through he 2020 campaign.
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NL East Notes: Latos, Haren, Cishek
The Marlins continue to receive interest in both Mat Latos and Dan Haren, reports MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. Despite conflicting reports recently, Frisaro hears that the Blue Jays do indeed have some interest in Latos, as do the Cubs. The Blue Jays are also in Haren, per the report, and so is his former team, the Dodgers (albeit to a lesser extent). Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link) characterizes Toronto as having monitored Latos, noting that it remains to be seen whether the team actually pursues him.
A few more Marlins notes …
- Frisaro feels that it’s more likely that the Marlins will trade Latos than Haren in the next week due to the fact that trading Latos sooner comes with financial savings, whereas Haren’s $10MM salary is entirely paid for by the Dodgers. Haren could still be an August trade candidate, though, in Frisaro’s eyes.
- Though Haren and Latos are the most popular names among Marlins trade candidates at present, Steve Cishek is drawing interest as well — specifically from the Cardinals, per the Miami Herald’s Clark Spencer (Twitter link). Cishek has allowed just one earned run in 11 2/3 innings since returning to the big league roster in mid-June, so it’s certainly plausible to think that Miami could save some money and get at least something back for him.
- An even more interesting question, perhaps, is whether the Marlins or a hypothetical new team will consider tendering Cishek a contract through arbitration. While he may not earn a significant raise, the reliever has a steep $6.65MM starting point entering his second-to-last year of eligibility.
- Former Marlins backstop Jarrod Saltalamacchia discussed his tenure in Miami with Spencer, He expressed some disappointment with the way things ended and the fact that he did not get a chance to make good on his contract, but acknowledged that he fell short of expectations. On the whole, his comments seemed thoughtful and genuine, and are worth a full read.