Bryce Harper

Nats Fielding Offers On Rental Relievers, Also Still Involved In Realmuto Negotiations

By Steve Adams | July 30, 2018 at 3:24pm CDT

3:24pm: Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets that the Nationals are indeed taking offers on impending free-agent relievers such as Herrera, Madson and Kelley. However, Rosenthal adds that Washington is trying to pry more away from rival teams than it gave up to acquire Herrera in the first place, seeking top-tier prospects in return.

Passan, meanwhile, tweets that he’s heard even further since writing this morning’s column that the Nationals’ clubhouse is a growing problem, and organizational confidence in Martinez has faded. Nationals ownership has been notoriously fickle with its managerial preferences, and the reported discord between Martinez and higher-ups is merely the latest data point in that bizarre trend.

Beyond all that, Janes now reports (via Twitter) that the Nationals and Marlins have held “extensive” negotiations regarding Realmuto in recent days, but Washington still deems the price tag to be too high. At the same time, they’re also listening to offers on rental players whose subtraction would help to reduce payroll, she adds.

1:27pm: The 52-53 Nationals have emerged as one of the most interesting teams to watch with just under 26 hours remaining before the non-waiver trade deadline. The presumptive NL East favorites sit six games back in a divisional race that has seen them outplayed by the upstart Phillies and Braves to this point in the season.

It was reported late last week that the Nats were preparing for the possibility of selling some veteran pieces in the event that their four-game set against the Marlins didn’t go well. Washington took the first two games of that series, only to see Miami rally and salvage a 2-2 split. The Nats have actually made up a game in the standings since the time of that report, but the talk of a potential sale persists.

For instance, Yahoo’s Jeff Passan kicks off his weekly 10 Degrees column with a lengthy, fascinating exploration of the apparent disarray in the clubhouse of a Nationals team that has underperformed in a transitional year both in terms of on-field management (where rookie skipper Dave Martinez replaced veteran Dusty Baker) and in terms of ownership (after owner Ted Lerner ceded control of the organization to his son, Mark). One source bluntly told Passan that the Nats’ clubhouse “is a mess,” and three others backed that sentiment. The details are well worth a full read-through for anyone, though Nats fans in particular should take a look.

Broadly speaking, Passan goes on to suggest that the Nationals had hoped to win three of four games in the series they split with Miami this weekend, and though the one-game difference may not prove to be pivotal, ownership will be involved as the club weighs potential trades of short-term veterans. There’ll be a substantial swath of names for decision-makers to consider, with Kelvin Herrera, Ryan Madson, Shawn Kelley, Gio Gonzalez, Mark Reynolds, Matt Adams, Daniel Murphy, Brandon Kintzler and Jeremy Hellickson all serving as potential free agents.

The Nationals have not, to this point, given any real consideration to trading Bryce Harper, Passan adds, which aligns with last week’s comments from Mike Rizzo to the New York Post’s Joel Sherman, in which the general manager suggested that it’d take “something extreme” in order to consider trading Harper. Heyman, meanwhile, tweets that rival teams believe there’s virtually no chance the Nats will consider moving Harper, whom they hope to retain long-term.

Heyman adds, though, that other clubs expect the Nats to “investigate” possible trades of Herrera, Madson, Kelley and Of course, with so many relievers available on the market, it’s worth wondering just how much the Nationals could even extract for the majority of those bullpen rentals.

Given the sheer volume of rental players the Nationals could potentially peddle to other clubs, it’s also unlikely that there’d even be time to orchestrate an all-out sale. To that end, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post tweeted even after yesterday’s loss that she’d still be “stunned to see a major fire sale.” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that other teams expect the Nationals to largely stay the course, perhaps preferring to try to pass some players through waivers next month. It’s possible that some smaller-scale moves will come together, but it hardly seems that the Washington front office is prepared for any type of significant tear-down.

In fact, it seems it’s not yet entirely out of the question that the Nats would make a significant addition. Heyman tweets that they haven’t completely closed the door on a late push for Marlins star J.T. Realmuto. More interestingly, he suggests that the Nationals would at least consider parting with prized outfield prospect Victor Robles or top shortstop prospect Carter Kieboom, but the Marlins have been pushing for both to be included in a deal (as MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro reported Saturday). Whatever talks have taken place have not been serious enough that anything has been brought to Marlins ownership, tweets Craig Mish of SiriusXM.

Though this isn’t any real indication that a Realmuto deal has a legitimate chance of coming to fruition, Josh Norris of Baseball America tweeted last night that Miami had vice president of player development and scouting Gary Denbo in Durham, where Robles and the rest of the Nationals’ Triple-A club squared off against the Rays’ top affiliate. As ever, it’s probably best not to read too much into one specific scouting assignment, but the timing of the two reports is of at least some note.

Suffice it to say, the Nats seem to have a number of avenues they can explore. While trading short-term veterans and acquiring a big-name player such as Realmuto would seemingly run counter to one another, the two ideas could coexist. Adding Realmuto would give the Nationals a boost for two years beyond the current season, as he’s controllable through 2020. Trading some veteran rentals, meanwhile, would modestly supplement the farm while saving some money that could be put toward adding to a core of Max Scherzer, Trea Turner, Juan Soto, Adam Eaton, etc. this coming offseason. With just over a day to make so many crucial decisions, the Nats will be at the center of much of the intrigue surrounding the 2018 deadline.

Nationals Preparing For Possibility Of Selling At Deadline

By Jeff Todd | July 26, 2018 at 2:13pm CDT

The Nationals are engaging in discussions with rival organizations regarding the possibility of moving several veteran players, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (Twitter links). Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic hears similarly, writing in a subscription post that ownership is increasingly inclined to cut its losses (including the financial ones) to the extent possible.

Notably, the Nats have not yet committed to any particular direction at the deadline. But they appear to be getting the process started in case they decide to move rental pieces. According to the report, the D.C. organization has indicated it will set its course by the end of the weekend — at which point we’ll be just two days away from the trade deadline.

While the Nats are one game under .500, there is still a glimmer of hope. Neither of the two leading teams in the division — the Phillies and Braves — have run away with things, or (to this point) made any significant deadline improvements. Projections still tend to see it as a closer race, as they presume the Nationals will receive enhanced production from some key players down the stretch.

Of course, the long-awaited spark has yet to occur for the Nats. And the team just received another gut punch today with the news that Stephen Strasburg is headed back to the DL. It doesn’t help that the Wild Card race includes quite a few contestants, meaning it isn’t an obviously better path into the postseason.

It would certainly be difficult for the Nationals to give up on the current season — and not just because that’d be a bitter pill to swallow for a club that entered the season as a clear division favorite that hoped finally to advance through the postseason. The team would also face a less-than-clear situation in deciding what assets to move.

Passan suggests that the focus would likely be on rental relievers. Ryan Madson ($7.5MM salary), Kelvin Herrera ($7.9375MM), and Shawn Kelley ($5.5MM) are all potential chips who’d be of interest to other organizations, perhaps bringing back some prospects and trimming some salary obligations. But whether it makes sense to stop there would make for a tough question.

For his part, Rosenthal says expressly what Passan more or less implies: the Nats aren’t much interested in moving star outfielder Bryce Harper even if they part with other pieces. President of baseball operations/GM Mike Rizzo has indicated that a move on Harper would only be considered in an “extreme” scenario, though presumably that’s much the same situation that would justify the parting with relief assets.

Bidding adieu to Harper now might be difficult, but it’d also be the best possible way for the club to begin a new era without him on good footing. Of course, if the Nats intend to make a full run at bringing him back from the open market, they may well prefer not to set him free now. And it’s also fair to wonder whether the return will be all that great given Harper’s struggles and hefty ($21.625MM) salary.

Harper really isn’t the only established non-reliever who could conceivably be viewed as a trade chip if things head in that direction. For instance, starter Gio Gonzalez and infielder Daniel Murphy are also slated to reach free agency at season’s end, though certainly neither is in top form. Slugger Matt Adams has been excellent and would seem to be an interesting target for some clubs, particularly those in the American League. Other players are nearing the end of their arb years, though there’s no indication at all that the club is thinking of blowing up its near-future core.

All told, it’s clearly an undesirable situation for the Nationals organization. Perhaps the club won’t need to face these difficult questions if it can reel off a few wins in quick succession and its division rivals stumble a bit. Even if the Nats give up on the present season, they hold the promise of bouncing back next year. But it now seems realistic that the team could end up largely giving up on the race in 2018, an outcome that was hard to imagine at the start of the campaign.

Trade Buzz: Wheeler, Harper, Liriano, Greene, Castellanos, Braves

By Mark Polishuk | July 26, 2018 at 12:27am CDT

Scouts from at least a dozen teams watched Zack Wheeler’s start on Tuesday, SNY.tv’s Andy Martino reports. There’s enough interest in Wheeler that the feeling is “he should net a top 10 prospect and more” for the Mets, and he “could move any minute,” as Martino puts it. Beyond the Yankees and Reds, who were already known to be looking at Wheeler, the list of interested parties also included such clubs as the Rangers, Mariners, and Red Sox. It isn’t any surprise that contenders like Seattle and Boston are checking in, though the Sox may have already addressed their rotation need with their acquisition of Nathan Eovaldi earlier today. Texas is an interesting name, as the Rangers could’ve been doing their due diligence or (since Wheeler is under control through 2019) considering making an early move to upgrade next year’s pitching staff, which will be a clear offseason need for the club.

Here are more rumblings from around baseball as we’re less than a week away from the trade deadline…

“Something extreme would have to happen for us to consider moving [Bryce Harper],” Nationals GM Mike Rizzo told Joel Sherman of the New York Post. While short of an outright denial, it doesn’t seem like a Harper trade is even a longshot possibility for the Nats. If anything, Rizzo said the team is still looking to add (in the form of starting pitching and a catcher), though Sherman notes that the general manager didn’t rule out the possibility of eventually selling some impending free agents if Washington can’t get back into the pennant race. Such moves would be lower-level veterans and not Harper, as Sherman runs through the rather limited and difficult market the Nationals would face if they did make him available.
Dodgers scouts have been watching Tigers closer Shane Greene both before and after Greene’s recent DL stint, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports. Greene only missed 12 days due to some minor shoulder inflammation, and has since pitched in five games. He has posted solid numbers (4.19 ERA, 9.63 K/9, 2.3 BB/9) despite some issues with allowing home runs (1.5 HR/9). Kenley Jansen obviously isn’t going anywhere as the Dodgers’ ninth inning arm, so Greene would bolster the Los Angeles setup corps.
Also from Fenech’s piece, he reports that a Red Sox executive was recently in attendance to see Francisco Liriano in action, and notes that Liriano could be a fit as a left-hander out of Boston’s bullpen. The Sox are currently going with eight right-handed relievers, with southpaws Bobby Poyner, Robby Scott, and Williams Jerez down at Triple-A, all of whom are far less experienced than a veteran arm like Liriano. While Liriano has struggled overall as a starting pitcher for the Tigers this year, he has dominated left-handed hitters and would fit as a LOOGY in a return to relief work.
The Braves have a lot of trade options to consider, chiefly in adding starting and/or relief pitching, as MLB.com’s Mark Bowman explores in an overview of the team’s deadline plans. If Atlanta does look for hitting, there is some speculation that Tigers third baseman Nick Castellanos could be a target, as Detroit has had scouts looking at the Braves farm system (though the Braves’ past interest in Michael Fulmer surely also played a role in those evaluations). Castellanos may be available, if not outright shopped, in trade talks, though the Tigers have put a high asking price on the slugger.
Kyle Gibson could emerge as part of the talks between the Twins and Brewers, MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi tweets, should the two teams expand their negotiations beyond just infielders. Milwaukee was in need of pitching even before recent bad injury news about Brent Suter and Zach Davies, and adding a controllable (through 2019) pitcher in the midst of a strong season like Gibson would be a major boost to the Brew Crew’s rotation. Adding Gibson to the mix might help Minnesota get a better return in a trade, as Brian Dozier and Eduardo Escobar are only rental players.

Beltway Notes: Nationals, O’s, Harper, Britton, Machado, Ramos

By Mark Polishuk | June 24, 2018 at 8:24pm CDT

Here’s the latest on the Nationals and Orioles, two local rivals who will be going in opposite directions at the trade deadline…

Bryce Harper’s impending free agency is a major subplot to the Nationals’ season, though the team’s larger short-term concern is how to get Harper back in top form. As per ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, some rival executives speculate that Harper’s relative down year (he entered today hitting .212/.353/.465 slash line with 19 homers through 326 PA) could help his chances of returning to Washington in 2019, as the Nats are more familiar with Harper’s ups and downs than any other team. Harper and the team could explore the possibility of a shorter-term contract with an early opt-out clause, so Harper could re-enter the market as early as the 2019-20 offseason if he puts up better overall numbers next season. The opt-out clause has been a favored tool of Scott Boras, Harper’s agent, in the past, and it makes particular sense for a player who is hitting free agency at such a young age.
Also from Olney, some teams will wait for the Orioles to approach them with solid offers for trades this summer. The strategy stems from last year’s failed talks for Zach Britton, with Olney writing “the Dodgers and the Astros were among the teams that felt as if they wasted a lot of time talking with the Orioles — because in their view, Baltimore struggles with the process.” The counter-argument from the O’s, was that they decided to keep Britton after thoroughly weighing the offers presented. Waiting for the O’s to make the first move in negotiations is a risk unto itself, as there continues to be uncertainty about how large the market will be for star infielders, namely Manny Machado. “I’m not convinced [the Orioles] will actually trade him because I don’t know how attractive the offers will be,” one rival executive said. Barring an injury on a contender’s roster, Baltimore may have to settle for a less-than-expected return for Machado rather than just see him walk in free agency at season’s end.
There continues to be speculation about what big-picture changes may be coming to the Orioles, as John and Louis Angelos have been taking on an increased leadership role from their father, longtime owner Peter Angelos. Jon Heyman of FRSBaseball.com even hears from some Orioles-related sources that a sale of the team within the next few years wouldn’t be a total surprise, as the Angelos sons had been previously thought to be in line to take over the family’s law and TV businesses rather than the ball club. In regards to more immediate rumors, Heyman hears from a source that the Orioles’ interest in Ned Colletti for a front office position was “overblown,” rather than necessarily untrue. Heyman also reports that there was little-to-no truth to speculation that longtime Orioles names Billy Ripken, Mike Bordick, or Rick Dempsey could be stepping in as the next Baltimore manager.
Since the Nationals have been unwilling to meet the Marlins’ demands for J.T. Realmuto, Ken Rosenthal (in a FOXSports.com video) suggests that Rays catcher Wilson Ramos is a “logical” next option as the Nats look to upgrade behind the plate. Ramos is enjoying a nice bounceback year after an injury-shortened 2017, and he is a known quantity in Washington from his previous stint with the Nationals. Ramos is still owed roughly half of his $10.5MM salary, though Tampa could ask for a smaller prospect return in exchange for the Nationals taking all of that remaining salary off the Rays’ books.

Nationals Ownership Transfers Control To Mark Lerner

By Steve Adams | June 14, 2018 at 8:34am CDT

After a dozen years as the front-man in the Nationals’ ownership, Ted Lerner is transferring control of the organization to his son, Mark, reports Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post. The move has already been unanimously approved by the other 29 owners, per the report. Both Ted, 92, and Mark, 64, have issued statements to Svrluga regarding the transfer, and the column is full of quotes from Mark on his new role as well as the organization’s future.

While many ownership changes and transfers are followed by shakeups on the baseball operations side of the equation, that doesn’t sound to be the case in this instance. The younger Lerner notes that most of the team’s larger decisions have been a collaborative family effort. Ted Lerner, his three children (Mark and sisters Marla and Debra), and their spouses have all been weighing in on major ownership-level decisions, even if Ted ultimately had final say. “I don’t think you’ll see much difference in the way Dad and the family running it vs. myself and the family,” said Mark.

Of course, many will wonder exactly what this means for the Nationals’ future with Bryce Harper. The 25-year-old is set to become a free agent following the season, and the rapport between Harper’s agent, Scott Boras, and Ted Lerner has been well-documented. Svrluga notes that Boras negotiated contracts for Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Jayson Werth (presumably, among others) directly with Ted Lerner. The Nats have no shortage of Boras clients on their roster, with Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto, Matt Wieters, Jeremy Hellickson and Gio Gonzalez all repped by the Boras Corporation (as can be seen in MLBTR’s Agency Database).

Mark calls the relationship between Boras and his father both “interesting” and “successful,” adding that he expects his father to be involved in future negotiations with Boras (i.e. the Harper negotiations) as long as he wants to be. Regarding Harper, specifically, Mark says the outfielder “feels like a member of the family” and speaks optimistically about being able to retain the outfielder on a deal that “makes sense for the long-term vision of the club.”

Nationals ownership already resolved one key issue earlier this season, extending general manager Mike Rizzo through the 2020 season and thus ensuring that he’ll continue to serve as the primary voice overseeing baseball operations, having already done so since 2009. Manager Dave Martinez, meanwhile, is in the first season of a three-year deal that contains a club option for the 2021 season.

The manner in which the Nationals handle the managerial and coaching staff following today’s transfer will be an interesting scenario to follow in the coming years. The organization has become notorious for having short leash on its field staff; Dusty Baker, for instance, was surprisingly cut loose after consecutive NL East titles, and Martinez is somewhat incredibly the seventh manager of the team dating back to 2009. That’s long been attributed to ownership rather than Rizzo, who reportedly fought to keep Baker at the helm before ownership made the call to dismiss him. There’s likely no way to know exactly how (or if) that’ll change in the short-term, with Martinez in his first season as skipper. The 2019 and 2020 seasons figure to be more telling in that regard, though, especially if the Nationals either fail to make the postseason or endure yet another NLDS exit.

Generally speaking, however, it doesn’t sound as if the transfer will bring about radical change in the operation of the club in the near future. Furthermore, it sounds as if the Lerner family plans on retaining control of the organization for years to come. Svrluga notes that a third generation of Lerners is already becoming involved in the business, and Mark Lerner spoke candidly about the fact that he and his siblings have had zero thoughts about selling the team. “We well never sell the Nationals,” said Mark. “…[C]ertainly while I’m alive and my sisters and brothers-in-law are alive — nobody’s going to sell this team.”

Heyman’s Latest: Harper, Rangers, Bruce, Lagares, Cosart

By Mark Polishuk | April 7, 2018 at 3:02pm CDT

Bryce Harper’s free agent market receives an early preview by FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman, who lists the eight teams he feels have the best chance at signing the star outfielder when he hits the open market after the season. The Nationals and other big-market usual suspects are cited, though the Braves are a new addition to the list of candidates, as both Sirius XM Radio’s Steve Phillips and an unnamed friend of Harper’s feel Atlanta is a logical possibility. It should be noted that the Braves are only being named here as a “makes sense on paper” type of candidate, as it isn’t known whether Harper himself would consider the Braves, or if the club is actually preparing for a run at the outfielder. Still, a case can be made — Atlanta is known to be preparing for the end of its rebuild, with a large array of young players that could position the team as a contender for years to come. Signing Harper would certainly be about the biggest splash possible in announcing a return to contention, though it remains to be seen if the Braves would be open to spending the record-setting contract Harper will seek in free agency.

Here’s some more from Heyman, in his weekly notes post covering all 30 teams…

With Delino DeShields Jr. on the disabled list due to a broken hamate bone, the Rangers are looking for center field depth. Drew Robinson and Rule 5 draft pick Carlos Tocci have been platooning in center field with DeShields out, though that may not be a tenable situation given that DeShields could be sidelined into the middle of May. Jose Cardona and Brett Eibner are available in the minors, but Texas would have to create a 40-man roster spot for either player.
Heyman provides some new details on Jay Bruce’s free agent market, reporting that the Indians offered Bruce a two-year, $18MM deal while the Blue Jays discussed a one-year deal in the range of $5MM-$7MM. It’s interesting to note that both teams ended up signing somewhat similar veteran left-handed bats for similar price points — Cleveland inked Yonder Alonso for two years and $16MM in guaranteed money, while Toronto signed Curtis Granderson to a one-year, $5MM deal. The Jays didn’t actually make Bruce an offer, however, and neither did the Astros, though they also had some talks with Bruce about a two-year deal. Heyman speculates that Houston may have been considering Bruce only if top prospect Derek Fisher was dealt, and thus the Astros’ interest waned since they were able to acquire Gerrit Cole without parting ways with the young outfielder. As it turned out, Bruce ended up landing a three-year, $39MM deal to return to the Mets.
Speaking of the Mets, Heyman writes that the team would still be willing to deal Juan Lagares if a trade partner could be found. Lagares had been a frequent subject of trade rumors over the winter, and the Mets’ outfield situation has once again become overly crowded now that Michael Conforto has returned from the disabled list. With Conforto and Brandon Nimmo both capable of playing center field, Lagares’ contract ($16MM guaranteed in 2018-19) and lack of hitting makes him expendable, though Lagares is a superb defender. It’s possible the Mets could find an interested team later in the season as injuries or pennant race needs emerge, though one would think New York would have to eat at least some of the contract to make a deal happen. On the flip side, Lagares could provide valuable depth if the Mets are again hit with injuries, or if Bruce is needed at first base in the event that Adrian Gonzalez can’t hold up over regular playing time.
Jarred Cosart will soon throw for teams in a showcase, as the free agent righty looks to catch on with another team. Elbow surgery limited Cosart to just 24 MLB innings in 2017, and the Padres outrighted him off their roster after the season rather than pay him a projected $1.3MM via the arbitration process.

NL East Notes: Harper, Glover, Sherman, Mets, Flores

By Jeff Todd | February 20, 2018 at 12:00am CDT

Nationals star Bryce Harper preempted any questions about his future, telling reporters including Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com today that he’s focused exclusively on “winning and playing hard” in the current season. Harper also says he’s in top physical form entering what could be his final year in D.C. Zuckerman’s write-up and Harper’s comments provide some worthwhile perspective on what has been quite a notable MLB tenure for Harper, who is now the fourth-longest-tenured Nationals player at just 25 years of age.

NL Central Notes & Rumors: Reds, Cubs, Harper, Cards, Archer

By Connor Byrne | January 13, 2018 at 1:56pm CDT

The Reds are amid “serious discussions” with free agent reliever David Hernandez, though an agreement isn’t imminent, Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. Cincy isn’t the only team after the right-handed Hernandez, per Buchanan, who notes that the Reds are also interested in other free agent relievers and aren’t necessarily limiting themselves to one-year deals as they look to improve their bullpen. On the heels of a strong 2017, Hernandez is seeking a multiyear pact, according to Buchanan. The recipient of a minor league contract last offseason, the 32-year-old Hernandez went on to toss 55 innings of 3.11 ERA ball and notch 8.51 K/9 against 1.47 BB/9 with the Angels and Diamondbacks.

More on a couple of Cincinnati’s division rivals:

The Cubs and third baseman Kris Bryant haven’t engaged in long-term extension talks this winter, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein told Patrick Mooney of The Athletic on Friday (subscription required/highly recommended). The two sides avoided arbitration Friday when Bryant agreed to a $10.85MM salary – a record amount for a first-time arb-eligible player. While Bryant won’t become a free agent for at least four seasons, Nationals superstar right fielder Bryce Harper could hit the market next winter. If Harper does become a free agent, Bryant informed Mooney he “would love” for the Cubs to sign him. The two have been close friends since childhood, which could help the Cubs if they attempt to recruit Harper.
The Cardinals’ current plan for their 2018 bullpen includes deploying the newly signed Luke Gregerson as their closer, president John Mozeliak told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other reporters on Saturday (Twitter link). They also plan to heavily rely on left-hander Tyler Lyons and get contributions from righty prospects Jordan Hicks and Ryan Helsley. Of course, with the season still a couple months away, the Cards could pick up another established reliever(s) to swipe Gregerson’s ninth-inning role in the coming weeks. They’ve been linked to the likes of Alex Colome and Addison Reed this offseason, though the latter came off the board Saturday when he agreed to join the Twins.
In another tweet, Goold relays that the Cardinals turned their attention to Rays righty Chris Archer and third baseman Evan Longoria after acquiring outfielder Marcell Ozuna from the Marlins last month. The talks between the two sides “weren’t fruitful,” Goold writes. Longoria is now out of play, having gone to the Giants in a late-December deal, though Archer remains one of the Rays’ prime trade candidates.

NL Notes: Clemente, Harper, D’Backs

By Mark Polishuk | December 31, 2017 at 10:44am CDT

New Year’s Eve has long been a somber day in baseball history, as it was on this day in 1972 that Pirates superstar Roberto Clemente was killed in a plane crash at age 38. The outfielder was personally accompanying a shipment of relief supplies headed from his native Puerto Rico to victims of a recent earthquake in Nicaragua, but the flight tragically crashed just off the P.R. coast. Clemente’s passing inspired the creation of the Presidential Citizens Medal, the United States’ second-highest civilian honor. Clemente’s legacy is acknowledged every year by MLB via the Roberto Clemente Award, and there has been speculation that Clemente’s #21 will one day be retired league-wide as a way of honoring his heroism and his iconic status in Latin American baseball.

As we remember one of the game’s true legends, here are some items from the National League…

One interesting wild card in the Nationals’ attempts to keep Bryce Harper beyond 2018 could be his older brother Bryan Harper, MASNSports.com’s Byron Kerr writes. The elder Harper, who just turned 28, is a left-handed reliever who posted strong numbers in 2015-16 for Washington’s Double-A and Triple-A affiliates, with good splits against left-handed batters. The southpaw is preparing to return to the mound after undergoing Tommy John surgery in October 2016, and there’s at least a chance he could join his younger brother on the Nats roster this season.
While Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen has said that the team is comfortable deploying Chris Herrmann, Jeff Mathis, and John Ryan Murphy behind the plate, MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert figures the team has to make an upgrade at catcher before the offseason is out. The D’Backs are one of the few contenders with a glaring need at catcher, which in my opinion could leave them well-positioned to sign Jonathan Lucroy or Alex Avila on a relative bargain contract, given the two free agents’ relative lack of suitors. With other needs around the diamond and little payroll space to work with, however, the Snakes still might not have enough to afford Lucroy or Avila at even a discounted price.

Nationals Expect Harper To Test Open Market

By Jeff Todd | December 15, 2017 at 8:04am CDT

Dec. 15: USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that the Nationals say the conversations about Harper were casual, and they fully expect Harper to test free agency next winter. The Nats still hope to re-sign Harper, he adds, but they seemingly don’t expect to be able to do so without him first exploring the open market.

Dec. 13, 2:54pm: Nationals president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo confirms the meeting, as Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports on Twitter, and adds that the sides also discussed other topics. That includes Anthony Rendon, another Boras client who is eligible for arbitration for the second-to-last time after a highly productive 2017 season. Rizzo says that a long-term arrangement with Rendon is “something we’ll certainly discuss,” as the Post’s Jorge Castillo tweets.

10:13am: Agent Scott Boras told the media today that he has engaged Nationals ownership in preliminary discussions about a potential extension for star outfielder Bryce Harper, as Jamal Collier of MLB.com was among those to report on Twitter. Those initial conversations occurred last month.

It is still far from clear whether there’s any real likelihood of a deal coming together before Harper reaches free agency after the 2018 season. Indeed, Boras would not commit to anything and also did not indicate whether there are clear plans for future talks.

That said, it’s notable that the sides are engaging early to explore the possibility of a deal. And there is little question that Boras and the Nats’ ownership can find a way to bridge differences. After all, they have struck numerous high-dollar deals; of greatest relevance here, the sides lined up on a rather surprising extension to keep Stephen Strasburg from reaching the open market.

Harper, who only just turned 25, dealt with an injury late in the 2017 season but nevertheless compiled an outstanding .319/.413/.595 batting line with 29 home runs in 492 plate appearances. He’s considered one of the game’s preeminent young hitters and is certainly one of its best-known players. The expectation long has been that Harper will prefer to test the open market, where his youth and talent will draw a bidding war, though it’s fair to wonder whether he’d also see some merit in striking a deal to stay with one organization (while also locking in earnings after a strong season).

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