J.T. Realmuto

NL East Notes: Braves, Nats, Harris, Jennings, Marlins

By Mark Polishuk | October 8, 2017 at 2:32pm CDT

Here’s the latest from around the NL East…

The Nationals granted the Braves permission to speak to Nats assistant GM Doug Harris and special assistant Dan Jennings about Atlanta’s general manager vacancy, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (Twitter link). Earlier this week, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reported that Nats GM Mike Rizzo contacted Braves upper management to give Harris a recommendation. Harris was originally hired as Washington’s farm director in 2010 and has since risen to the AGM and VP of player personnel roles, as well as overseeing the Nationals’ minor league system. He has also worked with John Hart before, as Harris was a Rangers scout when Hart was Texas’ general manager. Jennings, of course, is best known for his long stint with the Marlins, most notably as their general manager and then on-field manager. In another tweet, O’Brien hears from the Braves that their GM search “will likely be slow developing,” which isn’t surprising given the abrupt nature of the team’s front office shakeup earlier this week.
The Marlins’ top trade chips are analyzed by former GMs Dan O’Dowd and Jim Bowden in a piece by the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna have the most trade value, though the two ex-GMs disagree on Dee Gordon’s value. Both would move Dan Straily if the Fish can get a good young arm in return, essentially reversing the deal that saw Miami acquire Straily from the Reds last winter for Luis Castillo. Giancarlo Stanton is obviously a major asset, though his no-trade clause and huge contract greatly limits his list of possible suitors, and limits what the Marlins can reasonably expect back in return. In general,
A trade of Jose Urena or Kyle Barraclough would be “highly unlikely,” Jackson reports, and J.T. Realmuto or Justin Bour would only be dealt if the Marlins could get multiple good prospects back in return. In Bowden’s opinion, the Marlins “have to listen on anyone. If you are challenged economically like they are, you are looking for controllable, inexpensive players that are not eligible for arbitration yet.”

Latest On Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins

By charliewilmoth | September 30, 2017 at 2:54pm CDT

Giancarlo Stanton discusses his future with the Marlins in a big new feature by Fan Rag’s Jon Heyman. Here are the highlights.

Stanton isn’t interested in being around for a rebuild, should the Marlins go that route, as seems fairly likely, under new ownership. “I don’t want to rebuild,” he tells Heyman bluntly. “I’ve lost for seven years.” Stanton’s take on the Marlins’ situation is worth noting, since he has a full no-trade clause, plus an opt-out after 2020.
“I’m sick of the negativity,” Stanton says. “Anything positive I’ve done, there’s still negativity. I’m doing this … but the owner’s doing that. I’m doing this, but the team’s doing that.” Stanton further notes that even upon the announcement of his record-setting contract, “most of the questions were negative.”
Stanton describes his chase for 60-plus home runs as “a fun little obstacle,” but adds that “[i]f it doesn’t happen … oh well.”
A rival executive tells Heyman that one potential issue with trading Stanton is that the Marlins would have to compensate for the backloading of the contract — Stanton has only made $30MM so far (meaning he’s been underpaid — by about a factor of three, Heyman figures), and $295MM is left on the deal.
This isn’t directly Stanton-related, but Heyman notes as an aside that in the Marlins clubhouse, veterans are wondering out loud about where they might be traded over the winter. Some feel the Cardinals are a possibility. Heyman doesn’t name them, although the Cardinals have been connected to Marcell Ozuna and Christian Yelich in the past.
Yelich and catcher J.T. Realmuto are the two players potential trading partners ask about most frequently, Heyman adds.

NL Notes: Chatwood, Cardinals, Realmuto, Brewers

By Steve Adams | August 7, 2017 at 2:02pm CDT

The Rockies announced yesterday that they’ve moved right-hander Tyler Chatwood to the bullpen, clearing way for rookie Antonio Senzatela to rejoin the starting rotation, as Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes. That’s a disappointing development for the 27-year-old Chatwood, who is slated to become a free agent for the first time following the 2017 season. The results for Chatwood haven’t been there in 2017, though, as he’s averaged 7.2 K/9, 5.0 BB/9 and 1.36 HR/9 en route to a 5.11 ERA through 112 2/3 innings. Chatwood does have a rather gaudy 57.4 percent ground-ball rate, though, and he’s pitched well away from Coors Field in each of the past two seasons. Both elements could help him look a bit more favorable on this winter’s open market, as will the fact that he’s rather young for a free-agent starter. Chatwood, as Saunders notes, voiced that his clear preference is to pitch as a starter, though he also stated that he’ll pitch in whatever role the Rox feel is best as the team looks to land an NL Wild Card spot.

Latest On Marlins’ Sale And Deadline Plans

By Jeff Todd | July 18, 2017 at 10:29am CDT

As discussions on the possible sale of the Marlins continue to drag on, it’s beginning to seem questionable whether any resolution will be found before the deadline. New reports suggest ongoing uncertainty as to just who will end up buying the team, and cast new doubt as to whether the organization will make any major deadline moves with that situation still open.

Jorge Mas had emerged recently as the possible favorite to land the Fish. But that now seems in doubt. Charles Gasparino of FOX Business reported yesterday (Twitter link) that the league is concerned Mas may even drop out of the bidding. As Dave Hyde of the Sun Sentinel and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald further explore, the team may be expecting just that result.

Mas is said to be frustrated by the unwillingness of current owner Jeffrey Loria to agree to an exclusive bargaining window. For his part, Loria seems to be holding open the possibility that further competition will boost the offers to his current price of $1.2B. But the constant stream of information, frequently pointing in different directions, seemingly poses its own risks to the club’s efforts.

With that backdrop, the Marlins are not presently interested in considering trade proposals for their three most interesting possible trade pieces, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). Talks on outfielders Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, and Marcell Ozuna will need to wait for the offseason, per the report. MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro hears much the same, noting on Twitter that other controllable players such as J.T. Realmuto and Dan Straily remain off limits at present.

In some regards, that’s not a new development. Prior reports — see here and here — have said as much. But it has seemed at times that the stance could conceivably change in advance of the deadline, particularly if some of those assets could help the club free itself of some other contracts. Miami is said to be weighing offers on its relievers, with an apparent willingness to move infielders Martin Prado (who’s now on the DL) and Dee Gordon, so there’s still business to be done — and, perhaps, still time for the club to reconsider its stance on the players noted above.

Marlins’ President Hill On Team’s Trade Talks

By Steve Adams | July 10, 2017 at 8:32am CDT

The Marlins have been perhaps the most oft-discussed teams in baseball with MLB’s non-waiver trade deadline just three weeks away, but president of baseball operations Michael Hill threw some cold water on rumors surrounding some of the team’s most appealing assets. Speaking to FanRag’s Jon Heyman, Hill stated that the Marlins “aren’t talking about” controllable stars Christian Yelich, J.T. Realmuto and Marcell Ozuna in trade discussions.

Asked specifically about first baseman Justin Bour and right-hander Dan Straily, Hill offered similar sentiments, stating that Bour “goes into the same basket” and that Straily’s status as a successful, pre-arbitration pitcher lands him in that same category. The recently extended Miami president stopped short of suggesting that Giancarlo Stanton was off limits, though Hill does say that the Marlins haven’t put his name out to other teams. And, of course, Stanton has a full no-trade clause and an enormous sum remaining on his 13-year contract, making it tough for another team to take on his contract anyway.

Hill’s comments mesh with yesterday’s report from the New York Post’s Joel Sherman suggesting that Miami’s primary focus is on dealing away its more expensive relievers (e.g. Brad Ziegler, AJ Ramos, David Phelps) and other veterans on the roster, with names like Martin Prado and Edinson Volquez both popping up as of late. Of course, any developments in the apparently ceaseless negotiations of a sale of the Marlins could impact deadline maneuverings. (Heyman has a separate update on the latest developments on that front.) But, it’s nonetheless notable to see Miami’s head of baseball ops firmly suggest that the team’s most appealing assets are likely to remain in house, as things stand.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale recently reported that the Fish have had talks with three clubs about second baseman Dee Gordon as well, and a Marlins source confirmed to Heyman that his name has at least been mentioned in talks, though there’s nothing in either report to indicate that talks are serious. (I’ll note that I respectfully disagree with Heyman when it comes to Gordon’s contract being a “vast overpay”; the 29-year-old remains a quality defender and one of MLB’s top baserunners in addition to a solid .295/.342/.358 batting line, helping to mask his lack of pop.) Heyman adds that it’s a similar story with Prado, who has been connected to both the Yankees and Red Sox but isn’t high on either club’s list.

Even with the team’s top names unlikely to be marketed, Miami could still fetch varying levels of interest in Ramos, Phelps, Kyle Barraclough, Dustin McGowan, Volquez, Derek Dietrich and Tom Koehler, so there could still be plenty of action for the Marlins on the trade market.

Furthermore, it stands to reason that the Marlins will be more open to parting with larger names once this week’s All-Star festivities have passed. In addition to the fact that the league generally frowns on trades during this time, urging teams not to take focus off the Midsummer Classic and its surrounding festivities, Miami is hosting this year’s event. Embarking on a significant fire sale before the All-Star Game rolls through town isn’t a good look for any franchise’s fans.

Latest On Marlins’ Trade Candidates, Potential Sale

By Mark Polishuk | July 8, 2017 at 2:12pm CDT

Here’s the latest from the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson on Jeffrey Loria’s attempts to sell the Marlins, as well as some news on the team’s trade plans…

The Marlins have yet to engage in serious talks with any team about Giancarlo Stanton, though they’re open to listening to offers for the star slugger. Stanton’s availability isn’t really a surprise since Miami is reportedly willing to discuss trading any player on a multi-year deal, though obviously a Stanton trade would be the biggest possible move the Fish could make. Stanton’s enormous contract, opt-out clause after the 2020 season and his full no-trade protection are significant obstacles in any deal, though potentially not insurmountable ones, as FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal recently outlined.
The Marlins would like to keep J.T. Realmuto. The 26-year-old has emerged as one of baseball’s best catchers over the last two years, and he is controllable through the 2020 season. Another controllable young star, Justin Bour, is drawing attention from the Yankees but “the Marlins are not going to give away” Bour for anything less than a big price, Jackson writes. Marcell Ozuna (in his arbitration years) and Christian Yelich (locked up on a long-term extension) are available but only for “a substantial return.”
A source connected to one of the ownership groups competing to buy the Marlins doesn’t believe that a fire sale of large salaries would help move a sale along. A new owner would want a say in such notable player moves, the source said. Cutting payroll is standard operating procedure for teams selling at the deadline, of course, though MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has said that a fire sale would first need to be discussed with the league office.
“Things are moving in the right direction” between the Marlins and the ownership group led by Wayne Rothbaum and Tagg Romney, according to a source. Jackson hears from three sources that the Rothbaum/Romney group hasn’t withdrawn its bid and is willing to buy the team at the right price. The Marlins turned down the group’s $1.1 billion bid but wants to continue talks, as the Rothbaum/Romney group has the means to meet the club’s initial $1.2 billion asking price.
Miami businessman Jorge Mas also doesn’t value the team at the $1.2 billion price, though he could ultimately make an offer close to that number. Mas and his group are reviewing the Marlins’ financial records and still deciding on how much to bid for the team. The Marlins turned down Mas’ request for an exclusive negotiating window of 10 days, in order to keep the groups led by Derek Jeter and Rothbaum/Romney involved in talks.
Some in the competing groups have been “frustrated” by the Marlins’ patience with Jeter’s group, as the former Yankees superstar has been having difficulty finding investors to make a competitive bid. Jeter was initially partnered with former Florida governor Jeb Bush, though Bush left the ownership group in May, with one of the issues reportedly stemming from how little of his own money Jeter was investing in the bid. “There have been no serious discussions” of Jeter and Mas partnering together, Jackson writes.

Marlins Could Consider Offers For Yelich, Ozuna, Realmuto

By Connor Byrne | June 3, 2017 at 9:41pm CDT

At 23-31 and nine games out of a National League wild-card spot, the Marlins are on track for a potentially interesting sale around the trade deadline, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (video link). Barring a turnaround, the Marlins will be “wide open” entering the deadline, says Rosenthal, who reports they’d be willing to listen to offers for outfielders Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna and catcher J.T. Realmuto.

Miami has put Ozuna on the block in the past, but considering proposals for Yelich and/or Realmuto would represent a 180 for the franchise. Back in November, the Marlins weren’t interested in entertaining offers for either player, but the team surely had designs on contending for a playoff spot at the time. Now, with that looking unlikely, dealing from their young core could help the Marlins restock a farm system that ESPN’s Keith Law (subscription required and recommended) ranked as the majors’ second worst before the season.

Yelich, in Year 3 of a seven-year, $49.57MM contract that also includes a $15MM club option or $1.25MM buyout for 2018, would surely appeal to all outfield-needy teams as a trade chip. The 25-year-old established himself as one of the game’s top young outfielders from 2013-16, but he hasn’t quite performed to expectations in the first two months of the current campaign. Still, Yelich has hit a decent .270/.349/.410 with seven home runs in 229 plate appearances, posted a 10 percent walk rate in line with his career average (10.4 percent) and logged a personal-best strikeout mark of 17.5 percent (compared to a lifetime 20.6 percent). One of Yelich’s main problems, it seems, has been a .301 batting average on balls in play – down from a career .356. Defensively, the strong work Yelich did in left field from 2013-16 has transferred this year to center, where he has taken over for Ozuna and recorded four Defensive Runs Saved and a 7.5 UZR/150.

Ozuna doesn’t come with as much control as Yelich, on the other hand, but he’s on an affordable salary this year ($3.5MM) and scheduled to go through arbitration two more times. The 26-year-old is enjoying his best season, having slashed .322/.385/.563 with 14 homers and a personal-high 9.5 percent walk rate in 231 trips to the plate. While Ozuna’s .357 BABIP – up from a career .322 – might not last, his .371 expected weighted on-base average (via Baseball Savant) suggests his success hasn’t been a fluke. The defensive switch has paid off, too, as Ozuna has saved six runs and managed a 15.2 UZR/150 a year after logging minus-12 DRS and a minus-3.4 Ultimate Zone Rating in center.

Realmuto, meanwhile, is the cheapest of the three at the moment ($562,500 salary) and slated to go through arbitration for the first time during the upcoming offseason. Given that he’s under control through 2020 and among the majors’ premier catchers, the 26-year-old Realmuto would surely bring back a haul in a trade. Realmuto broke out last year when he racked up 3.5 fWAR and hit .303/.343/428 with 11 homers and 12 steals across 545 PAs. He was a mixed bag defensively, though, registering minus-8 DRS and ranking toward the bottom of the league as a pitch framer, according to both Baseball Prospectus and StatCorner. Realmuto did draw plus marks as a thrower and blocker, however, and that has continued this season. Moreover, he’s in the midst of a major turnaround as a framer, per BP, which has him near the top of the majors in the early going.

While the Marlins won’t have any difficulty moving Yelich, Ozuna or Realmuto if they’re motivated to do so, the same likely won’t be true regarding right fielder Giancarlo Stanton. The slugger could still rake in $295MM over the next 10 years on his current contract, and getting out from under that might make the up-for-sale franchise more palatable to potential buyers. However, the Marlins probably won’t be able to deal Stanton until at least the offseason, suggests Rosenthal, and his full no-trade clause only further complicates matters.

Pre-Arb Deals: Lindor, Duvall, Sano, Franco, Odor, Realmuto

By Jeff Todd | March 10, 2017 at 8:46pm CDT

You can find a primer on how pre-arbitration salaries work right here. In essence, teams can renew players at whatever price they wish, so long as it meets or exceeds the MLB minimum — which currently sits at $535K. But all teams consider at least nominal raises for players with prior experience. If you really want to dig into the details of the process — and how different teams approach it — be sure to check out this close look from MLBTR’s Zach Links.

We have already covered a few notable salaries for 2017: Kris Bryant set a record at $1.05MM; Mookie Betts didn’t agree with the Red Sox, but still got $950K; and Astros star Carlos Correa was renewed at the minimum after failing to see eye to eye. Here are a few of the latest numbers, all via the Twitter feed of Jon Heyman of Fan Rag unless otherwise noted:

The Indians agreed to a $579,300 salary with star shortstop Francisco Lindor. A well-rounded performer at just 23 years of age, Lindor made his first All-Star team after landing just shy of Correa in the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year voting. It’ll be interesting to see whether the sides continue to talk money over the next few years in an effort to reach a long-term deal.
The Reds renewed outfielder Adam Duvall at $577,500. He was evidently looking for more after a breakout 2016 campaign in which he hit 33 homers but lagged in the on-base department (.297 OBP). Duvall has established himself as the team’s regular left fielder, though, and did out-earn two other power-hitting players in the same 1+ service class.
Third baseman Miguel Sano agreed to a $572,500 payday from the Twins, as Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reports. The 23-year old swatted 25 long balls but fell off a bit from his torrid rookie year. He’ll still get a fairly solid pay boost, though, in his 1+ service-class year.
Fellow young hot corner slugger Maikel Franco agreed to a $560K deal with the Phillies. Franco, 22, went through a similar sophomore slump as Sano while matching him in the long ball department. These two seem likely to be compared for years to come. Franco, though, will likely qualify for arbitration a year earlier, as he’ll easily reach Super Two status next winter so long as he stays on the MLB roster for the bulk of the upcoming season.
The Rangers will pay second baseman Rougned Odor $563,180 in their agreement. The hard-nosed 23-year old delivered 33 bombs from the middle infield, though like Duvall he also fell short of hopes with a .296 OBP. Texas is already weighing a much heftier commitment, though, with reports suggesting the sides are in talks on a deal that could exceed $50MM in guaranteed money.
Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto was rewarded for his promising 2016 campaign with a $562,500 deal, per Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). Realmuto, who’ll soon turn 26, will reach arbitration next winter, where he’ll be paid handsomely if he can repeat his numbers from last season. Over 545 plate appearances, Realmuto slashed .303/.343/.428 and provided 11 home runs and a dozen steals — though he was aided by a .357 BABIP.

Marlins Could Be Done Making Significant Moves

By charliewilmoth | December 24, 2016 at 11:10am CDT

With their signings of Brad Ziegler and Junichi Tazawa now complete, the Marlins could be done making significant moves this offseason. Here’s the latest from out of Miami, courtesy of the Sun-Sentinel’s Tim Healey:

The Ziegler and Tazawa signings, and the subsequent DFA of Elvis Araujo when the Ziegler deal became official, leave the Marlins’ bullpen heavily right-handed, with Hunter Cervenka as the only lefty reliever remaining on the team’s 40-man. But president of baseball operations Michael Hill doesn’t sound concerned about that. “Handedness didn’t come into play as much as finding the highest quality [reliever],” Hill says. Even Cervenka is not guaranteed a spot in the bullpen, with Hill saying Cervenka will compete for a spot in camp. Teams typically carry at least one lefty reliever, although not carrying any is hardly unprecedented, since many righties can be effective against opposite-handed batters — the 2004 Angels, for example, had perhaps baseball’s best bullpen that year despite receiving just two total innings of lefty relief. And Tazawa, for example, has been quite effective against lefties in his career.
The bullpen has become increasingly crowded, and the Marlins have discussed whether to go with a seven-man bullpen or expand it to eight.
The Marlins also are not overly concerned about finding a platoon partner for lefty-hitting first baseman Justin Bour, Hill says. “There’s not that clear-cut complement at first base, but I think in the growth and maturation of Justin Bour,” Hill says. “[Manager Don Mattingly has] talked about trying to challenge him more and expose him more to left-handed pitching.” The 28-year-old Bour has hit .223/.273/.291 in 103 career plate appearances against southpaws. The team could, however, give righty-hitting catcher J.T. Realmuto occasional plate appearances at first, potentially giving the Marlins the chance to sit Bour against some lefties. “If there is a way to deepen our bench, we’ll look at it,” says Hill. “But I think as we sit right now, we would be comfortable as we are currently situated.”

Trade Chatter: Sale, Astros, Votto, Watson, Marlins

By Jeff Todd and Steve Adams | November 15, 2016 at 10:03pm CDT

Though the Braves already added R.A. Dickey and Bartolo Colon this winter, it seems they aren’t quite done shopping for starters. They have joined the division-rival Nationals, and probably a sizable portion of the rest of baseball, in reaching out to the White Sox about lefty Chris Sale, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. Atlanta is among the organizations “trying hardest” to pry Sale loose from Chicago, per the report, with some around the league believing that he could change hands this winter. Of course, yesterday’s report regarding the Nats also suggested that the South Siders have yet to engage in serious chatter as of yet, and the Braves are looking at a variety of options, so it’s a bit soon to dwell heavily on the Sale/Braves connection. Atlanta has also inquired with the Rays on Chris Archer and the Athletics on Sonny Gray, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman notes.

A few more notes on some trade situations from around the league…

Astros GM Jeff Luhnow told reporters today, including MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart, that he still hopes to have one or two transactions completed before the Winter Meetings (video link). Luhnow said as much when leaving the GM Meetings last week, but the Houston GM offered indications today that the club has narrowed its focus. “I think instead of working on 12 things right now, we’re working on four, which gives us a little bit more focus,” said Luhnow. “…We’re in a position where we did all of our homework ahead of time, we know what resources we have, we know what needs we need to fill, and we can be a little bit more aggressive this year than we have in years past.” Asked about his potential areas of focus, Luhnow spoke generally about needing “some pitching help” and “a bat or two,” though he did say that his team is willing to act as quickly as a trade partner or agent will allow.
Reds GM Dick Williams continues to downplay any notion that Joey Votto could be traded, as MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon writes. Speaking at last week’s GM Meetings, Williams said that he “certainly [hasn’t] had any discussions with [Votto]” about waiving his no-trade clause, per Sheldon. Williams said that the constant speculation is understandable for a player of Votto’s caliber but believes the first baseman will be at the center of the team’s lineup throughout the rebuild and beyond. As we’ve pointed out here at MLBTR many times, Votto also has a full no-trade clause and has gone on record as saying he has no desire to leave Cincinnati. Sheldon offers another quote from Votto, from 2015: “I just absolutely love playing here. I really like where I live. … I like the location of the ballpark and the fans and the clubhouse and the uniform and the number on my back — all the littlest things that people take for granted are very comfortable to me and something I look forward to. I don’t think of myself as anything other than a Cincinnati Red. It’s one of the really cool things about having a no-trade clause.”
The Mariners may not feel comfortable spending enough to compete with the Blue Jays for the services of free-agent lefty Brett Cecil, which could lead them to the trade market, writes Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune. Per Dutton, Pirates left-hander Tony Watson is one name to monitor as Seattle looks for a late-inning lefty, noting that Watson is “believed to be available.” The 31-year-old stepped into Pittsburgh’s closer role last year following the trade of Mark Melancon and performed well, as he’s done in virtually every role he’s been used over the past several seasons. Dating back to 2012. Watson boasts a 2.40 ERA with 8.0 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and a 45 percent ground-ball rate in 345 1/3 innings. He’s lefties to a downright pitiful .190/.253/.273 slash but also more than held his own against righties, yielding a collective .214/.280/.346 batting line in that time. Watson has one more year of club control and is projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn $5.9MM in his final trip through the arbitration process.
Though the Marlins are exploring the trade market for rotation help, they’re not willing to part with either Christian Yelich or J.T. Realmuto, per MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. There have also been no indications that they’d consider moving Giancarlo Stanton, Frisaro continues, although with a full no-trade clause and the largest contract in history, that could potentially be a moot point anyhow. Marcell Ozuna and Adeiny Hechavarria are the most oft-mentioned names the Fish could look to move, though Hechavarria’s anemic bat offsets a great deal of his defensive talent.

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