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Aroldis Chapman

Rosenthal On Tigers, Nats, Papelbon, Cespedes

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has tons of great info and insight in his latest column.  The whole article is worth a read, but here’s a look at a few of the highlights:

  • Before acquiring Francisco Rodriguez via trade, the Tigers made an offer to free agent Joakim Soria, major league sources tell Rosenthal.  They also inquired on a few Nationals relievers, including Jonathan Papelbon and Drew Storen.  George A. King III of the New York Post first reported that there were discussions earlier this month between Soria and Detroit.  Soria is seeking a three-year, $27MM deal, so that was likely too rich for the Tigers’ blood.
  • Papelbon and Storen have been mentioned in rumors for some time now and sources tell Rosenthal that both are likely to be moved.  Meanwhile, talk persists that the Nationals have been one of the clubs trying to pry closer Aroldis Chapman away from the Reds.  All in all, it seems like Washington is looking for a major overhaul in their bullpen.  Still, the Nats feel that a left-hander hitter is their biggest need and they could also be on the hunt for a starting pitcher.
  • The Rangers inquired on Yoenis Cespedes multiple times when he was crushing homers for the A’s, sources tell Rosenthal, but it still seems unlikely that they’ll send the money necessary to sign him this winter.  Last week, Steve Adams looked at the Rangers’ various options as a part of MLBTR’s Offseason Outlook series.

Relief Notes: O’Day, A’s, Chapman, D’Backs, Brothers

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In such a crowded market for Darren O’Day’s services, CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman observes that the Dodgers, Braves and Nationals could each have an edge.  The Dodgers, of course, can offer the most money and have “big time” interest in the right-hander.  O’Day’s family lives near Atlanta, so the Braves could have something of a hometown advantage.  Then again, O’Day’s wife is a TV reporter working for a station in Washington D.C., which could help the Nats.  Here’s more about O’Day and others on the ever-churning bullpen rumor mill…

  • You can add the Athletics to the long list of teams with interest in O’Day, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.  While Oakland has a clear need for bullpen help, it would be a big surprise to see a small-payroll team like the A’s win the bidding for O’Day.  The right-hander has already received multiple offers and is looking for a four-year deal in the $28MM-$36MM range.
  • Diamondbacks GM Dave Stewart tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that Brad Ziegler may remain as the team’s closer.  “With Ziegler doing the job that he has, I am looking to better ourselves more than likely in the front end versus the back end (of the bullpen),” Stewart said.  The Snakes have been linked to several big-name relievers in offseason buzz, and their particular interest in Reds closer Aroldis Chapman goes back several months, though the Reds’ demand for two pre-arbitration Major Leaguers was too high for Arizona’s liking.  “I’ve made it pretty clear that I’m just not in the mood to give up three or four players for one guy at the back end of my bullpen,” Stewart said, speaking not specifically of Chapman but of ace relievers in general.
  • “Surprised would be an understatement” to describe how Rex Brothers felt when the Rockies designated him for assignment, the southpaw tells Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post.  Brothers has come to terms with the move, however, and is looking forward to a fresh start in the bigs.  It should be noted that Brothers has the choice of electing free agency since he has more than three years of service time, and while he doesn’t directly say so, it certainly sounds as if the lefty will indeed be hitting the open market.  Brothers posted very solid numbers out of Colorado’s bullpen from 2011-13 before struggling in 2014 and spending most of 2015 in the minors.

Cafardo’s Latest: Giants, Braves, Gordon, Chapman

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Here’s the latest from The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo…

  • The Braves are one of multiple teams who have asked the Giants about Joe Panik and Matt Duffy in trade talks but San Francisco isn’t interesting in dealing either young infielder.  Panik and Duffy may have come up in discussions with the Braves over pitching, as Cafardo reports the Giants have discussed Julio Teheran and Shelby Miller.
  • Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon is generating “a ton of interest” and Miami is at least listening.  It would take a controllable, front-of-the-rotation arm to really get the Marlins’ attention, however, and it “seems unlikely” that Gordon would go anywhere.  I have to agree that dealing Gordon would be a stunning move even for the Marlins; if anything, the club is far more likely to extend him, as has been noted in recent reports.
  • The Reds and Red Sox discussed a trade for Aroldis Chapman, but Cincinnati wanted more from Boston than the Sox eventually sent to the Padres to land Craig Kimbrel.  That would represent a stunningly high asking price for a closer who is only under contract through the 2016 season.  Kimbrel, by contrast, is owed $25MM through the 2017 season and Boston has a $13MM club option on his services for 2018.
  • Andrew Miller is “atop” the Astros’ list of closer targets and Mark Melancon is also under consideration.  We’d already heard about Houston’s interest in acquiring a top reliever earlier today, with Miller’s name included with the likes of Chapman, Brad Boxberger and Ken Giles.
  • Speaking of Melancon, the Pirates closer tells Cafardo that he’s keeping an open mind about trade speculation.  “I love the Pirates. I love our group of guys and would love to stay here, but I also understand the business of it.  Every organization has a different business plan, and if the Pirates feel they need to deal me, then I understand that. Our people haven’t said a word to me about the possibility, so until that changes, I’m assuming I’m starting the year with the Pirates.”
  • The Twins are another team looking for relief help and they’ve also received a lot of interest about third baseman Trevor Plouffe.  There has been speculation that Plouffe could be moved to make way for Miguel Sano at third base, especially if the Twins come to an agreement with Byung-Ho Park.
  • Though Brett Gardner’s name has surfaced in trade talks, it’s “not a slam dunk” that the Yankees would part with him since he’s a clubhouse leader.  As CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman did yesterday, Cafardo also downplays the idea of a Gardner-for-Starlin Castro trade, noting that the Yankees would only trade Gardner if they got a starting pitcher back.
  • Five general managers told Cafardo that they wouldn’t take Hanley Ramirez in a trade even if the Red Sox covered at least half of Ramirez’s remaining salary.  Ramirez is owed $66MM through 2018 and he has a $22MM vesting option for 2019, so even at a reduced rate, that’s still a hefty price for a player coming off such a rough season on and off the field.
  • Cafardo feels the Cubs and Giants have the best chance at signing John Lackey, who wants to remain in the National League.  The Cardinals have also “kept their toes in the water” for his services.  The Red Sox have checked in on Lackey but are more focused on landing an ace starter.
  • John Boggs, Trevor Cahill’s agent, said his client looks to be a starter again “but he would accept a bullpen spot if he doesn’t secure a starting job.”

Astros Strongly Interested In Acquiring Closer

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The Astros are “hell-bent” on acquiring a closer, sources tell ESPN’s Jayson Stark. The Astros have made calls on Aroldis Chapman of the Reds, Andrew Miller of the Yankees, and Brad Boxberger of the Rays, as well as potential free agent possibilities. They’ve also spoken with the Phillies about Ken Giles, as had previously been reported.

Adding a closer would move current closer Luke Gregerson back to the setup role in which he excelled with the Padres and Athletics. A dominant ninth-inning type like Chapman or Miller would also give the Astros not only a terrific ninth-inning option but also enviable depth, with a bullpen that would also feature Gregerson, Pat Neshek, Josh Fields and Will Harris. Also, the bullpen’s 5.63 ERA in September and October and its eighth-inning implosion in Game 4 of the ALDS against the Royals are surely fresh in the organization’s mind, particularly after watching a Royals team with a hard-throwing bullpen win the World Series after beating them. It’s easy, then, to see the appeal of adding a shutdown closer.

Still, overall, the Astros’ bullpen was a key element of the team’s success last season, and Gregerson is a perfectly good ninth-inning man in his own right (although Stark notes that Gregerson’s K/9 was relatively low for a closer, at 8.6). Stark notes that the Astros might not want to pay the prospect cost of acquiring Chapman, Miller or Giles, and therefore could ultimately pursue hard-throwing setup-type relievers instead. Given the potential departures of lefties Tony Sipp and Oliver Perez via free agency, a lefty appears likely to be a priority, whether they add a closer or not.

Reds Hope To Move Chapman Before Winter Meetings

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8:51pm: In a full column, Rosecrans has transcribed the entire quote from Jocketty:

“Boston was probably a player in it, we talked to them, but we didn’t get close to anything. We’ve been talking to clubs, but I don’t think there’s anything that’s close. Hopefully we get something done with somebody before the Winter Meetings. We’d like to get moving on some things.”

8:29pm: Aroldis Chapman’s name has been frequently mentioned in rumors over the past few months, and he figures to become a more pressing issue in the coming weeks. C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer tweets that president of baseball operations Walt Jocketty says there’s “nothing close” with Chapman at this time. Jocketty, though, hopes to get something completed before the onset of the Winter Meetings, according to Rosecrans. This year’s Winter Meetings take place from Dec. 7-10 in Nashville, Tenn.

The Tigers, Red Sox, Astros, Yankees, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays and Nationals have all been mentioned as potential trade partners, though the Tigers and Red Sox have, of course, already picked up late-inning relief help, which could remove them from the market. (Detroit acquired Francisco Rodriguez from the Brewers this morning while Boston landed Craig Kimbrel from the Padres in a weekend blockbuster.) Considering the caliber of arm in question, it’s highly likely that other clubs will enter the mix and have already done so while going unreported.

With one year of club control remaining at a projected $12.9MM rate, Chapman isn’t a long-term piece. But, he’s the type of overpowering arm that a team expecting to contend could acquire to significantly boost its playoff hopes, even if said team already has a closer in place. There’s a very strong case that Chapman is the best relief pitcher in baseball (he’s certainly among the top five or so), and adding him to a bullpen doesn’t remove the incumbent closer, but rather a team’s seventh-best reliever. The difference between Chapman and any club’s most disposable big league reliever, of course, is sizable.

Any club acquiring Chapman now likely feels that it’s acquiring a 2017 draft pick as well, considering the fact that Chapman is the rare reliever that represents an easy call when it comes to a potential qualifying offer. So long as Chapman doesn’t blow out his arm in 2016, it feels like a given that he’ll be worthy of a QO next November. Trading him this winter, then, would be Cincinnati’s best bet at maximizing a return for the soon-to-be 28-year-old Chapman, who owns a 1.90 ERA with 16.1 K/9, 3.8 BB/9 and 145 saves over the past four seasons with the Reds.

Trade Market Notes: Tigers, Fernandez, Chavez, Belt

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The Tigers have canvassed the trade market for late-inning relievers, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets, checking in on closers including Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller. But the team is “not comfortable with [the] asking prices” it’s been quoted, says Rosenthal. Of course, Detroit has also been tied to several of the best-available free agent relievers. If a swap isn’t in the offing, presumably the club will look to the open market to build out its pen.

Here are some more trade market notes:

  • There was some buzz yesterday surrounding the possibility of the Marlins dangling stud righty Jose Fernandez in trades after Craig Mish of Sirius XM tweeted that there is a “growing sentiment” inside and outside the organization that a deal could occur this winter. That’s hardly an indication that a deal is likely, but it wouldn’t be surprising for the Fish at least to listen. The Scott Boras client has three years of control remaining and doesn’t seem likely to sign an extension. While he’ll be rather affordable — MLBTR projects only a $2MM arbitration salary because of his limited innings last year — he’d also be a hotly-pursued trade piece that could potentially bring back a huge return of more controllable talent at or near the big league level.
  • Marlins sources downplayed the likelihood of a Fernandez deal to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. And club president David Samson told Jackson: “Some players are more likely to be traded than others. Jose fits in the latter category. He is a Marlin for at least the next three years and hopefully longer and we look forward to the start of the 2016 season.” As MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro notes on Twitter, it is also worth bearing in mind that the club is in the middle of important TV rights fees negotiations. Dealing away one of the club’s two major stars wouldn’t figure to aid the club’s leverage in those talks.
  • The Athletics have fielded “significant trade interest” in righty Jesse Chavez, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports on Twitter. Oakland could consider dealing the 32-year-old swingman now that free agent lefty Rich Hill has signed, Passan adds. MLBTR projects Chavez to earn $4.7MM in his final trip through arbitration.
  • After extending Brandon Crawford yesterday, there’s still some uncertainty surrounding the Giants’ other key, 4+ service-time infielder by that first name. First baseman Brandon Belt could also be an extension candidated, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Twitter links), although he adds that the sides may not have progressed very far yet in talks. But there’s still also a possibility that Belt will be traded, per Schulman. While other teams may be somewhat hesitant since Belt ended the year with concussion issues, there are no reasons at present to believe that he’ll be limited going forward. And his consistent production would undoubtedly draw plenty of interest.

Reds Seek MLB-Ready Talent In Packages For Frazier, Chapman

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The Reds are known to be entertaining offers on all of their players, and ESPN’s Jayson Stark spoke to an exec with a rival club that is convinced third baseman Todd Frazier is “legitimately out there” as a trade piece, albeit only for a significant return (links to Twitter). According to Stark, the Reds are prioritizing young talent that is Major-League-ready in trades for either Frazier or closer Aroldis Chapman. ESPN’s Buster Olney wrote yesterday (Insider subscription required) that he spoke to an NL evaluator and was told that the Reds “aren’t pushing Frazier at all,” so it doesn’t sound like the Reds feel any urgency to move him (not that one would expect an aggressive push to move a player of Frazier’s caliber at this point in the year with multiple seasons of club control remaining).

Stark doesn’t list a preference between position players or hitters — perhaps because Cincinnati doesn’t truly have one; talent is talent — but most of the Reds’ top prospects are on the pitching side of the equation. Outside of top organizational prospect Jesse Winker, the team’s best hitting prospects are mostly in the lower levels of the minor leagues. For a team that is open to dealing its third baseman, second baseman (Brandon Phillips) and right fielder (Jay Bruce), that leaves plenty of openings around the diamond — especially considering Billy Hamilton’s underwhelming bat to this point in his career. (That’s not to suggest that Cincinnati has given up on Hamilton, but rather that he’ll need to hit more than he has at some point.)

The price to acquire Frazier will — and should — be steep. The reigning Home Run Derby champ is set to turn 30 years old in February and is coming off a pair of seasons in which he has combined to bat .262/.322/.479 with 64 homers and well-above-average defense at third base. Frazier is also affordable, as his 2016 salary is locked in at $7.5MM by virtue of a two-year deal signed prior to the 2015 season. He’ll be arbitration eligible once again next offseason and is a free agent after the 2017 season.

The primary red flags with Frazier will be his woeful 2015 second half and his production (or lack thereof) away from the hitter-friendly confines of Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park. Frazier was hitting .284/.337/.585 with 25 homers prior to the 2015 All-Star Game, but he batted just .224/.270/.390 with 10 homers in 72 second-half games. Checking out his home/road splits, Frazier has batted .281/.341/.537 at home over the past two seasons compared to .247/.304/.421 on the road. Many players tend to hit better at home regardless of park factor, but the notable discrepancy between Frazier’s home and road production figures to at least be some cause for concern for teams that play in pitcher-friendly environments.

Regardless of home/road splits, Frazier is capable, at worst, of producing league-average offense (he has a wRC+ of 99 on the road) with an above-average bat at third base. Two years of that skill set alone would have some value, but considering that’s more or less the floor on Frazier, while the ceiling is that of a legitimate superstar, multiple big-league-ready assets will probably need to be in play for Cincinnati to seriously consider parting with him.

Chapman is projected to earn $12.9MM in 2016 by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz. That will be Chapman’s final year of club control before free agency, so with one year of control at top-of-the-market money, he comes with less trade value than Frazier. Nevertheless, it’s easy enough to envision a team being willing to part with an MLB-ready asset and another lower-level piece or two in order to secure a season of Chapman’s 100mph+ dominance.

Teams that could conceivably look for help at third base include the White Sox, Angels, Astros, Padres and possibly the Tigers, to name a few. There’s always a wide swath of teams seeking bullpen help — particularly when the reliever in question ranks among the game’s two or three best arms — and Chapman has recently been connected to the Yankees, Astros, Diamondbacks, Tigers and Red Sox (though Boston’s trade for Craig Kimbrel would certainly seem to take them out of the Chapman market).

More Reactions To And Effects Of The Craig Kimbrel Deal

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Earlier today, we collected a series of reactions to the Red Sox’ big move to acquire Craig Kimbrel from the Padres for prospects Manuel Margot, Javier Guerra, Carlos Asuaje and Logan Allen. Here are a few more that have trickled in throughout the day.

  • As noted in our previous post, reviews of the Red Sox’ end of the deal by outside analysts have not all been enthusiastic. But CSNNE.com’s Sean McAdam collected a number of takes from scouts and evaluators within the game who view the Sox’ decision to trade four prospects (including two highly rated ones in Margot and Guerra) somewhat more favorably. “I like Margot and Guerra. [They’re] middle-of-the-diamond kids with upside, (but) I doubt either becomes Betts or Bogaerts,” says one NL scout. “Prospects are nice, but in that market, give me Brady as QB over [Marcus] Mariota.” An NL evaluator points out that the Sox avoided giving up their very best prospects, like Yoan Moncada and Rafael Devers. Not everyone loved the deal from Boston’s perspective, however. Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski “is all about the short term and this trade made sense from that perspective,” says an MLB exec. “But if you do too many of the deals, you wake up in a few years like the Phillies … or the Tigers.”
  • One potential reason the Red Sox felt outfielder Margot was expendable was the presence of 2015 top draft choice Andrew Benintendi, who could move through the minors quickly, as Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal tweets. In an accompanying article, MacPherson compares Benintendi to Mets rookie Michael Conforto, who rocketed through the minors, and notes that Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and Jed Lowrie all moved quickly through the Sox’ system after being drafted out of college, as Benintendi was. Benintendi hit .313/.416/.556 across two levels in his first taste of the minors this summer.
  • The Reds don’t feel the Padres’ trade of Kimbrel will have much effect on the market for Aroldis Chapman, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com writes. Chapman only has one year of control remaining, while Kimbrel has three, so although both are top-flight closers, they represent somewhat different types of commodities. “Kimbrel was a bit of a different animal than Chapman, in terms of club control,” says new Reds GM Dick Williams. “We didn’t feel like we missed out on a deal with them. There will be other teams that are interested in Chapman.”

Latest On Aroldis Chapman

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1:11pm: The Red Sox are indeed doing background work on Chapman, tweets Rosenthal, although that’s more a sign of genuine interest than proximity to a trade’s completion.

12:17pm: The Red Sox are being aggressive on many fronts, one of which is believed to be Chapman, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

11:13am: Aroldis Chapman has seen his name circulate in trade rumors for the past year and is widely known to be on the block once again, and Peter Gammons of MLB Network and GammonsDaily.com now reports that four people have insisted to him this morning that Chapman will be traded by the end of the coming weekend (Twitter link).

Chapman most prominently drew interest from the Astros, Yankees and Diamondbacks prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, and he’s been speculatively connected to the Yankees, Red Sox and others this past week over the course of the GM Meetings. The Nationals and Tigers are also known to be seeking high-end bullpen help, and the Blue Jays have shown interest in the past as well. Gammons doesn’t specify which clubs are in the mix for Chapman at this time, but Cincinnati president of baseball ops Walt Jocketty more or less confirmed this week that he’s more or less open for business and will listen to talks on virtually any player on his club.

Chapman, with one year of club control remaining, is a natural trade chip for the rebuilding Reds. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected the left-hander to earn a steep $12.9MM in his final year of arbitration eligibility, and while that’s top-of-the-market value for a relief arm, Chapman has undoubtedly proven himself worthy of that much, if not more. The 27-year-old struck out more than 15 hitters per nine innings for the fourth consecutive season in 2015 while averaging 99.5 mph on his fastball. Over the course of the four seasons in question, Chapman has a 1.90 ERA and has saved 33 or more games per season.

Central Notes: Hicks/Murphy, Cubs, Brewers, Cardinals, Oh, Chapman

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In an ESPN Insider analysis of today’s Twins/Yankees swap of center fielder Aaron Hicks and catcher John Ryan Murphy, Keith Law opines that both sides did quite well. While the Twins might have traded a bit more upside in exchange for stability, both clubs came away with a player who fit their current roster better than the piece they traded, says Law. Hicks has the potential to be an elite defender and is an immediate upgrade for the Yankees in a regular role solely based on his glove, while Murphy’s defense has steadily improved. Law feels that Murphy projects as an everyday catcher, though not a star-caliber one with tremendous offensive upside.

A few more notes from the game’s Central divisions…

  • Asked about the possibility of a contract extension for Cubs ace Jake Arrieta, agent Scott Boras told reporters, including ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers: “We’re going to be talking about that as the offseason unfolds, about Jake. I would say it’s fair to say the Cubs are pleased with Jake. And I’m sure Jake is happy playing there so we have to see where it goes.” Boras went on to state that Cubs’ ownership is in a new phase, having entered a “championship phase” after spending years in a rebuilding phase. “How owners react to that and what they do is a completely different thought process,” said Boras.
  • The Cubs still like Jeff Samardzija and aren’t ruling out a return for the right-hander, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports wrote today. The Cubs, at one point, offered Samardzija $80-85MM on a contract extension, and Heyman notes that a similar sum may be a ballpark offer for what he can expect on the free-agent market.
  • The rebuilding Brewers won’t be players for top-of-the-market free agents, writes MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat, but new GM David Stearns could still sign some free agents to fill the club’s voids in center field and at third base. Stearns said that Domingo Santana, who played some center field in 2015, is best-suited for a corner outfield spot, but he’s not against using Santana in center if needed. If no external center field option is acquired, Santana will man the position in 2016. At third base, Stearns spoke of a need to pursue some external options given the lack of depth the Brewers currently have. “There’s a chance [internal options] could take a step up in production, and we’re certainly also going to look for external options,” said Stearns.
  • The Indians are interested in Korean right-hander Seung-hwan Oh, reports Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Cleveland bid “aggressively” on first baseman Byung-ho Park but fell short of the division-rival Twins’ bid. However, Oh won’t be subject to the posting system given his professional service time in Korea, and Oh would present a much-needed late-inning option for manager Terry Francona to put alongside Cody Allen and Bryan Shaw. Oh, nicknamed “the Final Boss” and “Stone Buddha” in Korea, is said to be traveling to the U.S. to meet with MLB clubs this week.
  • Cardinals GM John Mozeliak told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the team must consider playing on the free agent market in a way he typically avoids. As Goold notes, recent Cardinals’ free-agent plays for pitchers have either been short-term deals or re-signings of pitchers the team already knows (e.g. Kyle Lohse, Jake Westbrook). However, the loss of Lance Lynn and the potential departure of Lackey on a two- or three-year deal with another club could lead to atypical activity for the Cardinals. Mozeliak is bullish on a healthy return for Carlos Martinez, but the team still needs further certainty in the rotation. Said Mozeliak: “The opportunity to add is something that we have to consider. … We’ll see. I’d like to let the market develop before I weigh in on that.”
  • Aroldis Chapman will probably be the first domino to fall in the Reds’ impending fire sale, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The Reds know that Chapman, a free agent after the season, will earn about $13MM via arbitration (MLBTR projects him at $12.9MM), and they need to maximize the return they can get on him by dealing him this offseason so that an acquiring team can make a qualifying offer following the 2016 campaign.
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