Headlines

  • Athletics Trade Cristian Pache To Phillies
  • Pirates, Bryan Reynolds Continue To Discuss Extension; Start Of Regular Season Reportedly Seen As Deadline
  • MLB, MLBPA Reach Tentative Agreement On Minor League CBA
  • Guardians, Trevor Stephan Agree To Four-Year Extension
  • Cubs Sign Nico Hoerner To Three-Year Extension
  • Daniel Murphy Signs With Long Island Ducks
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2023
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

A.J. Minter

East Notes: Orioles, Hays, Yankees, Hicks, Braves, Anibal

By Connor Byrne | March 17, 2019 at 10:12am CDT

The Orioles announced several roster cuts Sunday, as Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com was among those to cover. Outfielder Austin Hays, who looked like a strong contender for a season-opening starting role, is the most notable player returning to the minors. General manager Mike Elias insisted service time didn’t factor into the decision, suggesting it’s irrelevant in Hays’ case because he already debuted in 2017, Kubatko tweets. Based on his spring, in which he put together a video game-like .351/.385/.892 line with five home runs in 37 at-bats, Hays deserved a roster spot in Baltimore. The promising prospect is coming off an injury-shortened season in which he posted underwhelming minor league numbers across 327 plate appearances, however. Per Kubatko, Hays and the Orioles believe there’s more for him to work on at the Triple-A level, where he hasn’t yet played. “I still haven’t played too many games in the minor leagues,” Hays said. “I haven’t had too many at-bats. I missed almost a whole year last year due to injuries, so there’s some time I need to make up.”

More from the East Coast…

  • The lower back problems that have shelved Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks this month will also sideline him for the team’s season-opening series, ESPN’s Coley Harvey reports. Hicks informed Harvey he underwent a second cortisone shot Sunday, though the 29-year-old is optimistic he’ll return at the outset of April. Without Hicks, it’s likely both Luke Voit and Greg Bird – who have been vying for the starting job at first base – will make New York’s roster, observes MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, who notes the team will have to choose between Clint Frazier and Tyler Wade as its fourth outfielder. Regardless, the Yankees are left to hope Hicks’ injury doesn’t turn into an ongoing issue, especially after they inked him to a seven-year, $70MM extension last month.
  • Braves manager Brian Snitker expects relievers A.J. Minter (shoulder) and Darren O’Day (forearm) to open 2019 on the injured list, Mark Bowman of MLB.com relays. Minter’s absence could prove especially detrimental, given that the lefty has thrived since debuting in 2017 and figured to begin the season sharing closer duties with Arodys Vizcaino. O’Day hasn’t yet pitched since last June, nor has he debuted with the Braves, who acquired him from Baltimore in July while he was shelved with a season-ending hamstring injury. The absences of Minter and O’Day may make Atlanta an even better fit for free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel, but to this point, it doesn’t seem as if the club has seriously pursued its former star.
  • Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos has developed an affinity for right-hander Anibal Sanchez over the past several years, as Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com explains. Despite that, the Braves didn’t re-sign Sanchez this past offseason after he experienced a career renaissance in their uniform last year. Thanks in part to their collection of young, major league-ready starters, the Braves were hesitant to ink Sanchez to a multiyear guarantee over the winter, Anthopoulos revealed, thereby paving the way for his exit. The 35-year-old ended up accepting division-rival Washington’s two-year, $19MM offer. “Obviously, you never want to see a division rival get better, but I’m so fond of him that I’m really happy for him,” said Anthopoulos, whose club benefited from Sanchez’s presence in 2018 after signing him for just $1MM in late March.
Share 0 Retweet 4 Send via email0

Atlanta Braves Baltimore Orioles New York Yankees A.J. Minter Aaron Hicks Anibal Sanchez Austin Hays Darren O'Day

50 comments

NL East Notes: Kimbrel, Conforto, Braves Pitching

By Jeff Todd | March 9, 2019 at 12:55am CDT

The Nationals and Braves “are not ’in’ on” free agent closer Craig Kimbrel, according to Jim Bowden of The Athletic (via Twitter). Whether that’s a truly definitive statement on those two clubs’ engagement with Kimbrel isn’t clear; each has been linked (his former team in Atlanta, especially) over the course of the winter and would surely be interested at the right price. The arms race in the NL East has continued all offseason long and has not really halted with the start of Spring Training. Financial considerations make several teams in the division conceivable suitors for Kimbrel, as MLBTR’s Steve Adams examined in depth.

More from the NL East:

  • Outfielder Michael Conforto says he’s interested in exploring a potential extension with the Mets, per SNY.tv’s Andy Martino, though there’s no indication that talks will occur this spring. Conforto is still under control for three seasons, the first of which will come at a $4.025MM salary. While both he and GM Brodie Van Wagenen say they’re interested in a long-term relationship, Conforto also acknowledges that he doesn’t believe “the time’s here yet” for contract talks. Conforto, who recently celebrated his 26th birthday, says his focus is on the ballfield. He’ll be looking to build off of a strong run through his first four seasons in the majors, over which he carries a .251/.349/.476 slash with 76 home runs.
  • Pitching health remains a major storyline in Braves camp; MLB.com’s Mark Bowman covered some updates today (Twitter link). It is beginning to seem questionable whether Mike Foltynewicz will be ready for the start of the season given that he hasn’t yet returned to the mound while resting his elbow. He’s said to be playing catch and feeling good, but evidently hasn’t been cleared to ramp things back up. Meanwhile, relievers Darren O’Day and A.J. Minter are each dealing with some issues — forearm for the former and shoulder for the latter. The expectation is that these minor maladies won’t prevent the two bullpen pieces from being ready for the start of the season — which the team will certainly hope to be the case, with Minter in particular representing a key member of the pen. Otherwise, the Braves have made some initial decisions on which of their young hurlers will continue to compete for active roster spots. As David O’Brien of The Athletic tweets, the Atlanta organization has sent a host of hurlers back to minors camp, including many of the team’s most exciting prospects. Among them, only Luiz Gohara has prior MLB experience. He has been slowed in camp by shoulder issues.
Share 0 Retweet 19 Send via email0

Atlanta Braves New York Mets Washington Nationals A.J. Minter Craig Kimbrel Luiz Gohara Michael Conforto Mike Foltynewicz

82 comments

NL East Notes: Braves, Kimbrel, Nationals, Harper, Mets

By Mark Polishuk | March 1, 2019 at 5:45pm CDT

While it’s still pretty early in Spring Training, the Braves have already been hit with a notable number of players battling injury issues.  Jeff Schultz of The Athletic (links to Twitter) has a rundown of today’s updates, including the worrisome news that A.J. Minter left today’s outing after just one batter due to shoulder tightness.  Beyond Minter, Dansby Swanson was scratched from today’s lineup due to continued soreness in his left wrist.  The Braves also continue to ease Josh Donaldson into action after Donaldson missed much of the 2018 season due to a calf injury.  Donaldson’s spring debut may still be at least “a couple of more days” away, as Atlanta manager Brian Snitker told reporters, though Snitker admitted “I don’t even know when he’s gonna play.”

The Braves already have Mike Soroka, Kevin Gausman, and Luiz Gohara dealing with shoulder soreness, while Mike Foltynewicz missed a recent start due to a sore elbow.  With the possible exception of Soroka, none of these maladies seem overly concerning yet, though the sheer volume leads to inevitable speculation about how the Braves could make additions to bolster their roster of arms.  Minter’s injury could be of particular import, given how the back end of Atlanta’s bullpen already has closer Arodys Vizcaino trying to bounce back from an injury-marred 2018.  MLB.com’s Mark Bowman writes that the Braves have yet to have “any serious discussions” with former closer Craig Kimbrel, who is still focused on landing a long-term contract while the team has only thus far been open to signing Kimbrel to a shorter-term pact.

The latest from around the NL East…

  • Speaking of Kimbrel, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (Twitter link) hears from rival evaluators who wonder if the Nationals could make a play for the star closer.  Washington is no stranger to high-profile bullpen signings, and while Sean Doolittle has pitched very well as the team’s closer, Doolittle has had his share of injury problems over the years.  Inking Kimbrel would put the Nationals over the luxury tax threshold for the third straight season, and if ownership had reluctance over paying a higher tax bill, the Nats might have to move some salary in order to fit Kimbrel into the mix.  Signing a free agent who rejected the qualifying offer (as Kimbrel did) would also cost the Nats its third- and sixth-highest picks in the 2019 draft.  As Olney notes, the Nationals might not mind surrendering even more picks in order to make a real splurge, as the team has already lost its second- and fifth-highest draft selections (plus $1MM of international draft pool money) by signing another QO free agent in Patrick Corbin.
  • Deferred money has long been a staple of the Nationals’ contract negotiations, as several notable players (i.e. Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Corbin, Anibal Sanchez, Brian Dozier) in recent years have signed deals with the team that include significant amounts of salary to be paid out over long stretches of time.  Scherzer’s deal contains $105MM in deferred money, for example, while Strasburg’s $175MM extension with the Nats contained $70MM in deferrals that will be paid out to Strasburg from 2024-30.  While Scherzer, Strasburg, and Bryce Harper are all represented by Scott Boras, Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post wonders if the Nationals’ deferral-heavy strategy might have cost them a chance at Harper.  Roughly a third of Washington’s reported ten-year, $300MM offer to Harper last fall was reportedly set to be paid out in deferred money for decades to come, possibly until Harper was close to 60 years old.  This type of long-term payment isn’t something that appeals to every player, making Svrluga wonder if Anthony Rendon would be comfortable with deferred money as the star third baseman continues his own extension talks with the Nationals.
  • The Mets have hired Rafael Perez the team’s director of international operations and Luis Marquez as their new director of international scouting, Jacob Resnick and Michael Mayer of @Metsmerized report (via Twitter).  Perez is a familiar name in New York’s front office, as he is returning to the same position he previously filled from 2005-11.  Marquez also previously worked for the Mets as an international scout from 2008-11.
Share 0 Retweet 12 Send via email0

Atlanta Braves New York Mets Washington Nationals A.J. Minter Anthony Rendon Bryce Harper Craig Kimbrel Dansby Swanson Josh Donaldson

75 comments
« Previous Page

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Athletics Trade Cristian Pache To Phillies

    Pirates, Bryan Reynolds Continue To Discuss Extension; Start Of Regular Season Reportedly Seen As Deadline

    MLB, MLBPA Reach Tentative Agreement On Minor League CBA

    Guardians, Trevor Stephan Agree To Four-Year Extension

    Cubs Sign Nico Hoerner To Three-Year Extension

    Daniel Murphy Signs With Long Island Ducks

    Guardians, Andrés Giménez Finalizing Seven-Year, $106.5MM Extension

    Brewers Sign Luke Voit To One-Year Deal

    Guardians Discussing Extensions With Multiple Players

    Cristian Pache Will Not Make Athletics’ Roster; A’s Exploring Trade Scenarios

    Triston McKenzie Shut Down For At Least Two Weeks With Teres Major Strain

    Yankees To Select Anthony Volpe’s Contract

    Cardinals To Select Jordan Walker

    Mets Option Brett Baty, Mark Vientos

    Luke Voit Opts Out Of Minor League Deal With The Brewers

    Mets Sign Dylan Bundy To Minor League Deal

    Reds Acquire Will Benson From Guardians

    Cardinals Sign Miles Mikolas To Two-Year Extension

    Keston Hiura Will Not Make Brewers’ Roster

    Rhys Hoskins Diagnosed With Torn ACL, Will Undergo Surgery

    Recent

    Athletics Trade Cristian Pache To Phillies

    Padres’ Third Base Coach Matt Williams Taking Leave Of Absence After Colon Cancer Diagnosis

    White Sox Notes: Hendriks, Right Field, Colas, Garcia

    Pirates, Bryan Reynolds Continue To Discuss Extension; Start Of Regular Season Reportedly Seen As Deadline

    MLB, MLBPA Reach Tentative Agreement On Minor League CBA

    Guardians, Trevor Stephan Agree To Four-Year Extension

    Padres To Select David Dahl

    Offseason In Review: Colorado Rockies

    Twins Select Willi Castro

    Cubs Sign Nico Hoerner To Three-Year Extension

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Offseason Outlook Series
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2023
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • MLB Player Chats
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version