Pirates Non-Tender Elias Diaz
The Pirates have non-tendered catcher Elias Diaz, Adam Berry of MLB.com tweets. He’s the only player they non-tendered.
Pittsburgh has been the sole organization so far for the 29-year-old Diaz, who has never demonstrated much offensive prowess at the major league level. Since debuting in 2015, Diaz has batted a meager .250/.301/.355 with 13 home runs in 815 plate appearances. He has accounted for an ugly minus-1.0 fWAR in that span, and is coming off a defensive season in which he ranked dead last in Baseball Prospectus’ Fielding Runs Above Average metric.
All things considered, it’s no surprise the Pirates and new general manager Ben Cherington are moving on from Diaz. They’d have owed him a projected $1.4MM in 2020. However, now that Diaz is out of the mix, the catcher-deficient Pirates are that much thinner behind the plate. Jacob Stallings is the lone catcher on their 40-man roster.
Blue Jays Unlikely To Pursue Starling Marte, Shogo Akiyama
Center field is a question mark for the Blue Jays, as Randal Grichuk, Teoscar Hernandez, and Derek Fisher are all imperfect defensive options while the likes of Anthony Alford or Jonathan Davis are lacking in MLB experience. There has been some speculation that the Jays could look to upgrade the position, though a notable acquisition like Starling Marte or Shogo Akiyama isn’t likely, as The Toronto Star’s Gregor Chisholm hears from sources within and outside the Blue Jays organization that Marte and Akiyama are “not viewed as a potential solution.”
Marte was perhaps a longer shot, as a Jays team that didn’t have plans to contend in 2020 didn’t seem like an ideal suitor for a player only under control (via a club option) through the 2021 season. A very notable link between the Jays and Pirates did develop, however, when Blue Jays senior VP of baseball operations Ben Cherington hired as Pittsburgh’s new general manager. There has been increasing buzz about the possibility of a Marte trade as part of a wider Bucs rebuild process this winter, as Pirates owner Robert Nutting said that Cherington had free reign to deal any player on the roster that he saw fit to be moved.
GM Ross Atkins said a few weeks ago, however, that the Jays had some interest in Akiyama, as well as two Japanese players available through the posting system — Yoshitomo Tsutsugo and Ryosuke Kikuchi. Unlike Tsutsugo or Kikuchi, Akiyama is free to be signed without any additional posting fee, and has already received some degree of interest from clubs like the Mariners, Padres, Diamondbacks, and Cubs.
Over the last five seasons with the Saitama Seibu Lions, Akiyama hit .320/.398/.497 with 94 homers and 78 steals, displaying the kind of well-rounded skillset that theoretically would’ve helped a Toronto club that struggled to either steal bases or reach base in general in 2019. MLBTR projected Akiyama to land a modest two-year, $6MM deal on the open market, so he wouldn’t have been an expensive purchase for the Jays.
That said, Akiyama also turns 32 in April, and is recovering from a broken bone in his foot suffered in a late October game. Given the injury concern and the unlikelihood that Akiyama would be a long-term answer, the Blue Jays might simply prefer to see what they have with their internal candidates before considering other center fielders. As Atkins recently stated, the team will explore position player acquisitions “based on the opportunity to add, the cost to add that player and determine what that means in terms of sacrifice for playing time. It’s too hard to say exactly how we’ll weigh that. It depends on the position we’re acquiring, which player is coming off or losing playing time.”
Starling Marte Open To Being Traded To Contending Team
With the Pirates coming off a disappointing season and new general manager Ben Cherington now in charge of the organization, there has been wide speculation that a rebuild could be coming in Pittsburgh. This would naturally make Starling Marte into a trade candidate, and the center fielder indicated in a conversation with Hector Gomez of Deportivo Z 101 (Twitter links) that he wants to be play for a winning team in 2020, in Pittsburgh or elsewhere.
The Pirates “have the power to decide about my future,” Marte said. “If it was for me I will leave for a team that is ready to compete right now on a World Series and that’s not our case.” When asked specifically about the Mets, who have a need in center field and have already reportedly shown interest in Marte’s services, Marte said that “it will be an honor to play with them,” since New York is more poised to contend next season.
It should be noted that these comments fall short of any actual trade request; needless to say, virtually every player would prefer to player for a contender, all things considered. Marte doesn’t appear to have any hard feelings about the Pirates or his situation, noting that “if it [a trade] doesn’t happen, I will keep working hard and giving my team all I have.”
Marte is under team control for the next two seasons, earning $11.5MM in 2020 and possibly $12.5MM via a club option for 2021 (with a $1MM buyout). This counts as pricey by the Pirates’ standards, especially for a team that may be retooling. The newly-hired Cherington has yet to give any firm indication about the Bucs’ next direction, and given how it often takes a new GM some weeks or months to fully adjust to a new position (meeting with internal personnel, making new hires, etc.), decisions about Marte, Josh Bell, Gregory Polanco, or other potential trade chips might not be made until later in the offseason.
If the Mets are set on Marte, they have some room to be patient, as the club does have Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo available as center field options if a proper full-time center fielder can’t be found. Beyond just New York, other teams could be content to play the waiting game if the Pirates need time to decide on Marte, given the lack of clear-cut options in the center field free agent market.
Pirates Outright Three Pitchers
Pirates pitchers Montana DuRapau, Williams Jerez and Luis Escobar have all cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic tweets. The three were designated for assignment a week ago. Nobody from this group has been outrighted in the past, nor do they have enough service time to opt for free agency, so they’re all slated to remain with the Pirates.
Among the trio, the 27-year-old DuRapau was the busiest at the major league level in 2019. He totaled 14 appearances and 17 1/3 innings, during which opposing hitters lit him up for 18 earned runs on 27 hits, four home runs and nine walks (against 22 strikeouts).
Jerez, also 27 and the lone left-hander of the troika, divided the season between the Pirates and Giants, with whom he combined to surrender five earned runs on 12 hits, nine walks and nine strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings. He was much more successful in 56 Triple-A frames, logging a 3.86 ERA/4.03 FIP with 9.8 K/9 against 2.57 BB/9.
Escobar, 23, got his first taste of the majors this past season, though he struggled in 5 2/3 frames, yielding five earned on 10 hits and four walks, and striking out just two hitters. Escobar fared better (albeit not great) at the minors’ highest level in 2019, as he managed a 4.09 ERA/5.06 FIP with 9.33 K/9 and 5.24 BB/9 across 55 innings.
Pirates Hire Derek Shelton As Manager
The Pirates have announced the hiring of Derek Shelton as their next manager, as Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via Twitter) first reported. Shelton had served as the bench coach for the Twins.
Shelton’s hiring represents the first major move for the organization since its front office overhaul. He had been under consideration even before the process that resulted in Ben Cherington taking over the GM seat.
The Minnesota coaching staff has now been fully picked over. Shelton had interviewed for several other openings but had remained unclaimed until the Pittsburgh org resumed its paused managerial search.
Shelton has 15 seasons of experience as a MLB coach. He functioned as the hitting coach for the Indians and Rays before a one-year stint with the Blue Jays. After two seasons of running the Twins’ bench, he’s now ready to take command of the full dugout in Pittsburgh.
Tigers Acquire Dario Agrazal
The Tigers have acquired right-hander Dario Agrazal from the Pirates in exchange for cash, the team announced. (Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reported the move, via Twitter, minutes before it was formally announced.) Agrazal was designated for assignment last week when Pittsburgh set its 40-man roster in advance of next month’s Rule 5 Draft. Detroit’s 40-man roster is now full.
Agrazal, 24, logged 73 1/3 innings with the Pirates in 2019 but struggled to a 4.91 ERA with 5.0 K/9, 2.2 BB/9, 1.84 HR/9 and a 39.9 percent grounder rate. He’s typically demonstrated strong control and posted better ground-ball rates in the minors. Agrazal also has a minor league option remaining, so the Tigers will be able to shuttle him between Toledo and Detroit as rotation depth next season — so long as he survives the winter on the team’s 40-man roster.
The Tigers’ rotation is perilously thin at the moment, with Matthew Boyd, Jordan Zimmermann, Spencer Turnbull and Daniel Norris representing the likeliest options. Righty Michael Fulmer will be returning from Tommy John surgery as well, but he didn’t go under the knife until the end of March in 2019, meaning there’s no guarantee he’ll be back for Opening Day.
That said, the Tigers have a number of high-end pitching prospects looming on the horizon, led by 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick Casey Mize. Detroit also has Matt Manning, Alex Faedo, Beau Burrows, Tarik Skubal and Franklin Perez working through the upper minors, and it’d be both surprising and disappointing if that collection of arms didn’t produce a couple of MLB-caliber rotation pieces. The acquisition of Agrazal lessens any need to rush that group to the big leagues, though, and provides some additional depth in the event of injuries to the starters on which the Tigers currently expect to rely.
Further additions remain possible, of course; the Tigers added Tyson Ross and Matt Moore on perfectly reasonable, low-risk one-year pacts last offseason. Although neither move panned out, the logic behind each was apparent, and a similar pickup or two this winter wouldn’t be particularly surprising.
MLBTR Poll: Starling Marte’s Future
The Mets are showing interest in acquiring Starling Marte, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. Marte, who owns a career slash line of .287/.341/.452 across 8 seasons, is currently under contract with the Pirates for $11.5MM in 2020 with an exceedingly affordable club option for $12.5MM in 2021.
New Pirates GM Ben Cherington has barely had time to take his coat off, but given the executive’s stated preference to steer an organization through a ground-up rebuilding effort, resolving the future of his 31-year-old face of the franchise is likely high up on Cherington’s to-do list. That said, Marte’s contract, position, and production puts him among the Pirates’ most valuable trade chips. Therefore, Cherington is unlikely to execute a trade without a full organizational plan in place. The Pirates may prefer to tab a field manager before moving any of their key player. On the other hand, Cherington was said to have free rein when it comes to roster construction.
In theory, it makes sense to move Marte now while two years of team control remain (though the Pirates are particularly and understandably sensitive to the plight of their fanbase, who has seen more than their share of homegrown superstars leave town over the years). Still, the hiring of Cherington may point toward another Pittsburgh teardown, and a Marte trade is probably Cherington’s best, first opportunity to put his stamp on the organization. Cherington could aim to restock the farm with a handpicked package of prospects deemed as good fits for his development program.
If indeed Cherington does make Marte available, the Mets are an obvious fit. Given the dearth of centerfield options on the free agent market, it would be unsurprising for the Cubs, Reds, Padres, Diamondbacks, Phillies or Rangers to check on the price of a Marte acquisition as well. The potential demand bodes well for the Pirates, who are unlikely to emerge as contenders before Marte’s contract runs out. The NL Central may not have a consensus favorite at the moment, but the Reds continue to push for contention, and the Cardinals, Brewers, and Cubs are also good best to land on the competitive end of the talent spectrum.
Nearly 62 percent of MLBTR readers recently suggested the Pirates would be better off trading 2019 breakout star Josh Bell, and given Bell’s youth relative to Marte, let’s assume most of you feel the same about him. If nothing else, we can probably agree that the Pirates should at least explore trading Marte. So where should Cherington look to procure the best package of prospects? This, of course, takes into consideration the urgency of the acquiring team as well as the value of their farm systems – as well as, potentially, the likelihood of consummating a deal. Understanding that I’ve certainly left a prime contender or two off this list, in your estimation, who should Cherington call first? We know the Mets are interested, but is there a better fit beyond New York?
To get yourself in a Pittsburgh state of mind before casting your vote, check out the Pirates’ Offseason Outlook from MLBTR’s Steve Adams.
(Poll link for app users)
If you were the Pirates GM, and you wanted to trade Starling Marte: who is your first call?
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Mets 26% (3,442)
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Padres 17% (2,176)
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White Sox 10% (1,382)
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Don't trade him! 7% (982)
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Other 7% (961)
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Phillies 6% (812)
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Blue Jays 5% (714)
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Reds 5% (630)
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Cubs 4% (588)
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Red Sox 4% (468)
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Giants 3% (447)
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Rangers 3% (356)
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Diamondbacks 2% (213)
Total votes: 13,171
Quick Hits: Yankees, Ozuna, Pirates, Hamels
The Yankees have made a notable addition to their player development staff, hiring Rachel Balkovec to serve as a minor league hitting coach, reports Lindsay Berra of The New York Times. Balkovec, 32, played college softball with both Creighton and New Mexico and went on to earn two master’s degrees in kinesiology and the science of human movement. She broke into the industry as the Cardinals’ minor league strength and conditioning coordinator and landed a job with the Astros in Latin America after teaching herself Spanish. With Houston, she would meet Dillon Lawson, who now works as the Yankees’ hitting coordinator and recommended Balkovec for the job. She has also worked with Driveline Baseball, conducting research on hitters’ eye tracking and pitchers’ hip movement, which she hopes to apply in her work with the Yankees. As Berra writes, Balkovec is believed to be the first woman employed as a full-time hitting coach at any level of professional baseball. She’ll begin her work in earnest when spring training rolls around in February.
- Free agent outfielder Marcell Ozuna could be in line for a five-year deal, according to J.P. Morosi of MLB Network (video via Twitter). Interestingly, Morosi also names a market of five teams that have expressed preliminary interest in the 29-year-old slugger—which includes a few teams that haven’t been mentioned as obvious suitors for Ozuna. It’ll come as no surprise that the Cardinals remain connected to Ozuna, but Morosi also lists the Rangers, Reds, Diamondbacks, and Braves as teams that could pursue him. Five years still feels a bit optimistic for a player who has yet to show that the career-best numbers he put up in 2017 are repeatable; MLBTR tabbed Ozuna for a three-year deal at the outset of the offseason. However, it’s hadly surprising that Ozuna is drawing his fair share of interest, given his age and raw skills.
- The Pirates are no longer considering Joey Cora for their unfilled manager post, Tweets Enrique Rojas of ESPN. That leaves Twins bench coach Derek Shelton and the Rays’ Matt Quatraro atop GM Ben Cherington’s wish list. Cora has worked as a coach within the Bucs organization for the last several years, first as the Double-A skipper and later as a base coach for the big league team. His ascent up the coaching ladder will be temporarily put on hold, with the Pirates apparently turning their focus to external candidates. The Pirates’ is the last remaining managerial vacancy, so it looks like they won’t have to compete with other clubs for Quatraro or Shelton—assuming they are willing to leave their current employers.
- Turning our attention to free agent pitchers, The Athletic’s Jayson Stark is hearing from Cole Hamels‘s agent that the 35-year-old southpaw is a hot commodity, having drawn inquiries from as many as 14 teams. We’ll see just how much of this rumbling is a representative trying to drive up the price for his client, but it’s not hard to see why Hamels has a robust market. There’s no shortage of clubs vying for help in the starting rotation, and Hamels provides exactly that while coming at a considerably lower cost than consensus top options like Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, and Zack Wheeler: Hamels doesn’t come saddled with a qualifying offer, and, at age 35, won’t rival the market’s juggernauts in contract length or yearly value. For pitching-needy teams that have balked at the asking prices for Cole, Strasburg, and Wheeler, Hamels represents a short-term, reasonably-priced alternative who’s shown he can still hang.
Coaching/Front Office Notes: Bucs, D-backs, Giants, O’s
Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro remains in the running to become the Pirates’ next manager, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network. The race is seemingly down to Quatraro, Athletics quality control coach Mark Kotsay and Twins bench coach Derek Shelton, though Heyman notes there may be other unreported names in the mix. Hiring a manager could end up as the first important order of business for new GM Ben Cherington, whom the Pirates brought aboard earlier this week.
- Diamondbacks executives Amiel Sawdaye and Jared Porter have been mentioned as future general managers, though the two told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription link) they’re content to stay in Arizona working under GM Mike Hazen. “It would be really hard to leave Arizona not just because of the culture Mike has created, the ease of living, the obvious excitement over the organization. But coming in and building something and wanting to see it through is so important,” said Sawdaye, who added, “If I never become a GM and this is my ultimate job and I’m here for the next 25 years, I can tell you I’ll be darned happy.” Porter echoed Sawdaye, saying: “I’ve never been more excited about working somewhere. I’ve never been more determined and focused to make a team and an organization better.” The feeling’s mutual on the D-backs’ end, as the franchise recently signed the two assistant GMs to extensions.
- Greg E. Johnson has grabbed the reins as the Giants’ control person, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. He’ll take over for Rob Dean, who held the position on an interim basis after MLB suspended now-reinstated president/CEO Larry Baer in March, though Dean is still with the organization. Baer and president of baseball ops Farhan Zaidi are now expected to report to Johnson and Dean, but “day-to-day operations should not be affected by Thursday’s moves,” Schulman writes. Johnson’s the son of Charles B. Johnson, who was part of the investment group that bought the Giants in 1993.
- The Orioles are close to hiring Rockies assistant Anthony Sanders as their first base coach, Jon Morosi of MLB.com tweets. Sanders is a former major league outfielder who managed at the rookie level with the Rockies, though he was most recently their outfield and base-running coordinator. Assuming Sanders takes over as the O’s first base coach, he’ll succeed Arnie Beyeler.
Pirates Designate Four Players For Assignment, Set 40-Man Roster
The Pirates set their roster in advance of the 2019 Rule 5 Draft tonight, selecting the contracts of right-handers Blake Cederlind and Cody Ponce as well as infielders Ke’Bryan Hayes, Will Craig and Oneil Cruz. In a corresponding series of moves, the Pirates have designated lefty Williams Jerez and right-handers Dario Agrazal, Montana DuRapau and Luis Escobar for assignment.
Of the four players designated for assignment, Agrazal had the largest workload with the Pirates in 2019, pitching 73 1/3 innings but struggling to a 4.91 ERA, 5.0 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and a 39.9 percent grounder rate. Each of the other three posted an ERA north of 7.00, though Escobar and Jerez each threw fewer than six innings. The 27-year-old DuRapau, meanwhile, enjoyed an outstanding season in Triple-A but allowed 18 runs in 17 1/3 innings at the MLB level.
Hayes, 23 in January, is fresh off a .265/.336/.415 season and against much older competition in Triple-A. Regarded as one of baseball’s premier defensive prospects, Hayes is considered to be among the top farmhands not just in the Pirates’ system but in the entire game.
Cruz, too, has generated some top 100 fanfare and just put the finishing touches on a huge but shortened season, hitting a combined .298/.356/.475 in 73 games. The towering 6’7″ Cruz, acquired in the 2017 trade that sent Tony Watson to the Dodgers, received 80 grades in arm strength and raw power from Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel of FanGraphs on their midseason rankings, where he checked in at No. 34 in MLB.
Ponce, acquired from the Brewers in this summer’s Jordan Lyles swap, averaged nearly 10 strikeouts per inning out of the bullpen. Cederlind, also 23, had a solid year out of the ‘pen and reached the Triple-A level for the first time. Craig had a down season in Triple-A but has long been considered to be among the top 15 prospects in the Pittsburgh farm and will give them some near-term corner infield depth.