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MLBTR Podcast: Tyler Glasnow, Jung Hoo Lee, D-Backs’ Signings and the Braves’ Confusing Moves

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Plus, Steve Adams joins to answer your questions, including…

  • What’s going on with Atlanta shuffling all these contracts around? (21:25)
  • Will the Mariners do anything with the payroll they jettisoned? (30:15)

Check out our past episodes!

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Mets Acquire Adrian Houser, Tyrone Taylor From Brewers

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The Mets have acquired right-hander Adrian Houser and outfielder Tyrone Taylor from the Brewers for right-handed minor leaguer Coleman Crow, per announcements from both clubs. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported that Houser and Taylor were going to the Mets for a minor leaguer. Robert Murray of FanSided reported that Crow would be that minor leaguer.

David Stearns is plenty familiar with Houser and Taylor, having spent many years calling the shots in Milwaukee before becoming president of baseball operations for the Mets a couple of months ago. In both cases, the player has had some major league success but had reached arbitration and was in competition for playing time in Milwaukee. Instead, they will head to a Mets club that has been primarily focused on depth moves this offseason, while allowing the Brewers to clear a bit of payroll.

Houser, 31 in February, has been a solid contributor for the Brewers in the past five seasons, mostly as a starter. From 2019 to the present, he’s appeared in 120 games, 97 of those being starts. In his 523 2/3 innings pitched, he has an earned run average of 4.04. His 19.2% strikeout rate and 9% walk rate aren’t especially strong but he’s kept 52.5% of balls in play on the ground.

He has just over five years of service time, meaning he’s slated for free agency after 2024. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects him for a salary of $5.6MM next year. Houser might project as merely a back end starter with just one year of control, but that’s still a relative bargain compared to free agents. The Mets paid $13MM to get Luis Severino for one year, while other clubs have given out comparable deals. Jack Flaherty got $14MM, Kyle Gibson $13MM, Lance Lynn $11MM, Wade Miley $8.5MM and Martín Pérez $8MM.

In Milwaukee, Houser was slated to be behind Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta and Miley, battling pitchers like Colin Rea, Joe Ross, Janson Junk, Aaron Ashby and Robert Gasser for starts. But instead, he’ll jump to a somewhat similar spot with the Mets. His new club has Kodai Senga, José Quintana and Severino in three spots, with pitchers like Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi and José Butto options for the back end. The club has been heavily linked to Yoshinobu Yamamoto and everyone would move down one spot if they successfully land him, but Houser should be in line for a role at the back of the rotation either way. He will have a leg up on Megill, Lucchesi and Butto in the sense that they can still be optioned to the minors but Houser cannot, as a player with more than five years of service time.

Taylor, 30 in January, seemed to establish himself as a viable big leaguer in 2021 and 2022. He got into 213 games for the Brewers over that stretch, hitting 29 home runs and slashing .239/.300/.448 for a wRC+ of 104. He also got strong grades for his outfield defense in all three spots and produced 3.4 wins above replacement, according to FanGraphs.

But he dealt with an elbow sprain in Spring Training this year, which caused him to miss the first month of the season and then another month-plus in the middle of the year. He only got into 81 games and had diminished production when in the lineup, hitting .234/.267/.446 on the year.

He reached arbitration for the first time this winter and is projected to make $1.7MM, with two years of control beyond that. He was also going to be part of a crowded outfield mix in Milwaukee that includes Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, Blake Perkins, Joey Wiemer and Chris Roller.

With the Mets, they have Brandon Nimmo in center but the corners are more questionable. Starling Marte was dealing with groin issues in 2023, missing roughly half the season and struggling when on the field. DJ Stewart finished the season on a hot streak at the plate but is a poor defender and better suited to be rotating through the designated hitter spot or pinch-hitting duties. Taylor’s righty bat could also potentially platoon with the lefty Stewart. Taylor has fairly neutral splits in his career but Stewart has been far better with the platoon advantage.

Crow, 23 later this month, was drafted by the Angels. He was traded to the Mets in the Eduardo Escobar deal in June but underwent Tommy John surgery in August, meaning he may miss most or all of the 2024 season. At the time of the Escobar trade, he was ranked the Angels’ #17 prospect at Baseball America and #8 at FanGraphs. He’s currently listed 25th in the Mets’ system at BA and 20th at FG. He tossed 128 Double-A innings in 2022 with a 4.85 ERA.

Aside from their pursuit of Yamamoto, the Mets have mostly been focused on adding depth this winter. They have claimed Penn Murfee, Zack Short, Tyler Heineman and Cooper Hummel off waivers. They have given one-year deals to Severino, Joey Wendle, Michael Tonkin, Jorge López and Austin Adams. They have also given minor league deals to Cole Sulser, Kyle Crick, José Iglesias, Taylor Kohlwey, Rylan Bannon, Trayce Thompson and Cam Robinson. Now they have bolstered their rotation and outfield with a couple of solid regulars.

For the Brewers, they are cutting a projected $7.3MM from their 2024 payroll. They are subtracting a bit of depth in the process but still have plenty of other options for their rotation and outfield even after this deal, while taking a flier on a long-term prospect in Crow.

Roster Resource currently pegs next year’s payroll at $104MM, well below last year’s Opening Day mark of $119MM, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts. There have been plenty of trade rumors this winter surrounding guys like Burns and Willy Adames, but it doesn’t appear as though the club needs to make a move of either of those guys just for payroll purposes, assuming they are willing to have a similar payroll to 2023.

As for the Mets, they are taking on that $7.1MM but could end up paying more. RR currently has their competitive balance tax number at $298MM, just above the fourth and highest threshold of $297MM. As a third time payor, their tax rates in each bracket are 50%, 62%, 95% and 110%. But the tax isn’t calculated until the end of the year. If the club isn’t competitive at the deadline and they trade some players with notable salaries, they could change their final position. Though signing Yamamoto for something in the $250-300MM range would obviously push them even further beyond their current level.

Jose Espada Signs With NPB’s Yakult Swallows

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Right-hander Jose Espada signed with the Yakult Swallows of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, he announced on X over the weekend. Espada had signed a minor league deal with the Padres in late November before being granted his release last week.

Espada, 27 in February, made his major league debut in the season’s final week. The Padres added him to the 40-man roster at the end of September. He pitched once, throwing a scoreless inning to punctuate a victory over the Cardinals. He struck out a pair while issuing two walks.

While he has only received that cup of coffee at the highest level, Espada has been in the professional ranks since 2015. He spent time in the Red Sox and Blue Jays organizations before joining the Padres out of independent ball in 2022. The Puerto Rico native had his strongest season this year. Working in a multi-inning capacity, he combined for a 2.81 ERA in 83 1/3 frames between Double-A and Triple-A. Espada fanned an excellent 32.3% of opponents in the minors, although he paired that with a notable 12.5% walk rate.

San Diego was impressed enough with his minor league performance they were prepared to keep him around as non-roster depth going into 2024. The NPB opportunity affords Espada a chance to lock in a salary that’s surely above what he’d have made if he’d spent much or all of next season at Triple-A El Paso. He’ll get a look in what is generally viewed as the world’s second-highest level of professional baseball.

Phillies Have Made Offer To Yoshinobu Yamamoto

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The Phillies have put forth a formal contract offer to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, writes Matt Gelb of the Athletic. While terms are unreported, Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote earlier in the week the club was planning to be aggressive in its pursuit of the NPB star.

It’s notable, if unsurprising, that the Phillies have put an official proposal on the table. Nevertheless, both Gelb and Coffey suggest it’s unlikely the Phillies’ offer will be the highest that Yamamoto receives. Gelb adds that team officials are uncertain how much interest the pitcher has in Philadelphia.

That all aligns with earlier reporting casting the Phils as a relative long shot among the seven known finalists: the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Giants, Blue Jays and Red Sox being the others. Yamamoto didn’t stop in Philadelphia as part of his North American tour, instead meeting with club personnel in Los Angeles.

Of course, the starting point for most free agents is financial. If the Phillies’ offer does wind up below the top bids, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him sign elsewhere. Philadelphia doesn’t necessarily need a starting pitcher. A front five of Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, Taijuan Walker and Cristopher Sánchez is strong. Prospect Mick Abel could pitch his way into the midseason mix. Even if there’s no question the group would be improved by adding NPB’s best pitcher, other clubs could feel more urgency to top the market.

The Dodgers are reportedly weighing an offer that’d land somewhere between $250MM and $300MM. SNY’s Andy Martino said last night that the Mets were putting together “a very serious offer” of their own. Most or all of the seven clubs with which the 25-year-old has met recently are likely to submit an offer this week.

Yamamoto has until the evening of January 4 to sign. He isn’t expected to wait that long. There has been speculation he could decide by the end of the week, although that’s not guaranteed. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman tweeted this evening that while one executive involved in the bidding expected Yamamoto to sign before Christmas, another suggested he could deliberate until just before the end of the year.

Astros, Tayler Scott Agree To Minor League Contract

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The Astros have signed reliever Tayler Scott to a minor league contract, according to the transaction tracker at MLB.com. He qualified for minor league free agency shortly after season’s end upon being outrighted by the A’s.

Scott pitched in 18 MLB contests last season, logging a personal-high 17 2/3 innings. He split that across three clubs. Scott began the year in Los Angeles after signing a minor league contract with the Dodgers. He was traded to the Red Sox in June and claimed off waivers by Oakland a month thereafter.

The big league results weren’t particularly impressive. Scott allowed 12 runs (11 earned), striking out 17 while issuing 10 walks. On the other hand, the 31-year-old had excellent numbers in the minors. He worked to a 1.64 ERA over 38 1/3 Triple-A frames. Scott struck out more than 29% of opponents compared to a manageable 8.7% walk percentage at that level.

That makes him a sensible target for clubs seeking non-roster bullpen depth. Scott finds a solid landing spot with a Houston team that has a few vacancies in the middle innings. The Astros have a strong back end anchored by Ryan Pressly, Bryan Abreu and Kendall Graveman, while Rafael Montero is sure to get another look. There’s not a ton of depth, though, as each of Hector Neris, Ryne Stanek and Phil Maton got to free agency.

While the Astros have shown some interest in retaining Neris and Maton, GM Dana Brown has acknowledged they could look to plug some of those vacancies internally. That affords opportunities for non-roster signees like Scott and Wander Suero, who signed with Houston two weeks ago. Scott is out of options, so if the Astros give him an MLB look at any point, they’d have to keep him on the big league roster or risk losing him via trade or waivers.

Sean Newcomb Undergoes Right Knee Surgery, Expected To Be Ready For Spring Training

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A’s reliever Sean Newcomb underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, the team announced (relayed by Martín Gallegos of MLB.com). It’s apparently a minor procedure, as Newcomb is still expected to be ready for Spring Training.

In late September, the southpaw underwent a meniscus repair on his other knee. Two procedures, even if neither is expected to require a notable absence, surely isn’t how he envisioned the start to his A’s tenure. Oakland had acquired Newcomb from the Giants in late August, a post-deadline trade made possible by the fact that neither he nor outfielder Trenton Brooks (who went to S.F. in return) had been on the 40-man roster to that point in the season.

The A’s quickly selected Newcomb’s contract. He pitched seven times before the left knee injury ended his year. The 30-year-old allowed five runs over 15 innings, fanning 17 while issuing nine walks. The front office was intrigued enough by Newcomb’s form to sign him to a $1MM contract within the first few days of the offseason. That bought out his second-to-last arbitration year.

As a result, Newcomb has a good chance of breaking camp in Mark Kotsay’s bullpen. A former first-round pick and top prospect, he has reached the majors in seven straight years. Newcomb had a couple strong seasons early in his career while operating out of the Atlanta rotation. Increasing strike-throwing issues have pushed him to the bullpen and the fringes of clubs’ rosters. He owns a 6.70 ERA in 88 2/3 MLB innings dating back to the start of 2020.

Diamondbacks, Ronaldo Hernandez Agree To Minor League Contract

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The Diamondbacks are signing catcher Ronaldo Hernandez to a minor league deal, reports Kiley McDaniel of ESPN (X link). He’ll get an invitation to big league Spring Training.

Hernandez, 26, was a top prospect during his early days in the Rays system. Tampa Bay traded him to the Red Sox in a deal that sent left-hander Jeffrey Springs to Tampa Bay going into the 2021 season. While that was a controversial decision for the Rays given Hernandez’s prospect status, it turned out to be a significant win. Springs has been a productive starter, while Hernandez stalled out at the upper levels of the Boston system.

The right-handed hitter has spent the past two seasons at Triple-A Worcester. Hernandez has had decent but unspectacular numbers in both years. He hit 17 homers in each season with middling on-base numbers. The Colombia native owns a .255/.319/.448 batting line over 860 plate appearances at the top minor league level.

Hernandez spent a couple years on Boston’s 40-man roster. He was called to the majors on a pair of occasions but didn’t get into an MLB game. The Sox ran him through outright waivers last offseason. When he wasn’t reselected onto the 40-man roster, he became a minor league free agent last month.

Arizona only has two catchers on the 40-man roster: Gabriel Moreno and Jose Herrera. The former is one of the sport’s top young catching talents and is entrenched as the starter. Herrera is a light-hitting backup with a career .198/.272/.231 slash in 90 big league contests. The Snakes could still look for an experienced catcher on a low-cost deal or via minor league pact. As things stand, there’d be a decent opportunity for Hernandez to get an MLB look at some point in 2024.

Braves Sign Taylor Widener To Minor League Deal

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The Braves have signed right-hander Taylor Widener to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. The righty has been assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett for now but could perhaps be in big league camp as a non-roster invitee.

Widener, 29, was drafted by the Yankees but was sent to the Diamondbacks in the complex three-team deal involving Brandon Drury, Steven Souza Jr. and others. He went on to toss 107 2/3 innings for the Snakes from 2020 to 2022 with an earned run average of 4.26. He struck out 22.3% of batters faced but also gave out walks at an 11% clip. His .274 batting average on balls in play and 80.8% strand rate were both on the lucky side of average, leading to a 5.54 FIP and 4.68 SIERA that weren’t as impressive as his ERA.

He was outrighted by the Diamondbacks in January and ended up spending the most recent season in South Korea, pitching for two different clubs in the Korea Baseball Organization. He started with the NC Dinos but was released in August and then signed with the Samsung Lions. Between the two clubs, he tossed 115 innings over 20 starts and one relief appearance. He had a combined ERA of 4.54 in that time, striking out 20% of batters while walking 8.1% and keeping 60.4% of balls in play on the ground.

Widener was working exclusively out of the bullpen in 2022 but was mostly back in a starting gig in 2023. It’s unknown if Atlanta prefers him in one role or the other but they might like the flexibility. They signed reliever Reynaldo López this offseason and will reportedly stretch him out in the spring, with the plan of moving him back to the bullpen if he doesn’t win a rotation job.

The club currently projects to have a rotation of Spencer Strider, Max Fried, Charlie Morton and Bryce Elder, with López in the mix for a spot at the back alongside guys like AJ Smith-Shawver and Huascar Ynoa. Widener will give the club a non-roster option in that competition or perhaps in their relief mix. If he gets a roster spot at any point, he still has a couple of options remaining.

White Sox Designate Luis Patiño For Assignment

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The White Sox announced they have selected the contract of right-hander Josimar Cousin, with fellow righty Luis Patiño designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Patiño, now 24, was once a top 100 prospect but hasn’t yet delivered on that hype as a major leaguer. He came up with the Padres and then went to the Rays in the December 2020 Blake Snell deal. But he struggled to establish himself in Tampa and was flipped to the White Sox just ahead of this year’s deadline.

Between those three clubs, he has 136 1/3 major league innings of experience to this point with a 5.02 earned run average. His 20.2% strikeout rate and 11.4% walk rate are both below typical league averages. He also has struggled at the Triple-A level, with a 5.12 ERA in 123 innings there in his career.

The righty exhausted his final option year in 2023, meaning he could no longer be sent to the minors without being exposed to waivers. With that diminished roster flexibility, it was going to be a challenge for him to hang onto a roster spot, given his poor results of late. The Sox will now have a week to try to work out a trade or pass him through waivers.

Cousin, 26 in February, was born in Cuba and signed a minor league deal with the Sox in May. He spent time at three different minor league levels this year, going from the Complex League to High-A and then Double-A. He posted a combined 5.56 ERA in 55 innings, striking out 19.6% of opponents and walking 6.3%. It’s unclear why he was added to the roster today but it’s possible there was some sort of opt-out in his deal or he was offered an opportunity overseas.

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