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Jered Weaver

NL West Notes: Gonzalez, Kazmir, Cain/Blach, Vargas, Weaver

By Jeff Todd | March 6, 2017 at 9:20pm CDT

Adrian Gonzalez will return to playing first base for the Dodgers tomorrow before joining Team Mexico for the WBC, as Alana Rizzo of Sportsnet LA tweets. The veteran first baseman has been battling a minor injury described as “tennis elbow,” but it seems that it has improved enough to allow participation in the global tournament.

Here’s more from the rest of the NL West:

  • We already checked in on Dodgers lefty Scott Kazmir, who left his spring outing today with hip tightness. We’ll need to wait for more news, though it seems he won’t head straight for an MRI; instead, as Eric Stephen of SB Nation tweets, Kazmir will be reevaluated tomorrow. The veteran southpaw clearly wasn’t pleased with the health issue, as Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports. “The frustration is through the roof right now,” said the veteran southpaw, who bemoaned the need to “manipulate my body just to be able to get through an outing.”
  • While there’s nominally a competition for the Giants’ fifth starter role, primarily featuring Matt Cain and Ty Blach, Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News writes that it may not be much of a battle. Though manager Bruce Bochy says nothing has been decided, he did intentionally bring Blach on in the middle of an inning in his most recent outing. Per Bochy, it could be that the young southpaw opens the year in the bullpen, functioning as the club’s long man and/or in a setup capacity. (Certainly, utilizing him to piggyback with Cain could make some sense, if there’s roster space. There are loads of competitors for the club’s few open pitching jobs.)
  • There’s little doubt that the Padres are open to multiple possibilities in their rotation. As MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell writes, though, the club has begun to pare down the number of competitors. Righty Cesar Vargas was the first to go; he was sent down to minor-league camp in part to give him enough time on the hill to build back to full strength after dealing with a flexor strain in 2016. Vargas, 25, had turned in six eye-opening starts before the day of his injury, and could certainly still enter the picture at some point during the season to come.
  • One Padres starting job will go to righty Jered Weaver, who Cassavell spoke with about his progress thus far. The 34-year-old says that focusing on flexibility has allowed him to make huge strides in his mechanics, calling it “night-and-day from last year.” He’s hoping the change will make him looser and allow better extension, while also preventing the neck and shoulder issues that plagued him previously.
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Los Angeles Dodgers San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants Adrian Gonzalez Cesar Vargas Jered Weaver Matt Cain Scott Kazmir Ty Blach

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Heyman’s Latest: Villar, Lucroy, Tigers Veterans, Utley, Weaver, Lincecum, Clevenger

By Jeff Todd | February 23, 2017 at 1:43pm CDT

After grading every team’s offseason, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag provided a bevy of information on a variety of situations around the league in his latest notes post. Some is mostly of historical interest, and there’s lots more in the article, but these are some of the highlights with transactional ties:

  • The Brewers “floated” an extension offer to infielder Jonathan Villar, says Heyman, but he wasn’t interested. The club’s initial offer, at least, would only have guaranteed him around $20MM. While Villar had a relatively undistinguished career before landing in Milwaukee, he was rather excellent last year and hasn’t yet turned 26. On the other hand, he won’t reach arbitration eligibility until next fall and still has to prove he can repeat that effort. Though Milwaukee owner Mark Attanasio may have been willing to green-light pursuit of Matt Wieters, it seems that the front office wasn’t enthusiastic about that possibility.
  • While the Rangers haven’t yet opened extension talks with catcher Jonathan Lucroy, it’s still expected that a deal will at least be explored. GM Jon Daniels has acknowledged as much, though it’s unclear just when the discussions will get underway. If nothing comes together, Lucroy promises to be one of the game’s most widely pursued free agents next winter. Texas, of course, is also chatting with starter Yu Darvish and second baseman Rougned Odor.
  • The Dodgers explored a deal with the Tigers involving star righty Justin Verlander, per Heyman, who notes that “nothing got close.” Verlander’s hefty salary obligations were considered a barrier, though it seems his no-trade protection may not have been. The veteran righty has suggested he’d be amenable to consider a swap, and his relationship with Kate Upton would likely make Los Angeles an appealing destination. While the Dodgers have a quite a few starters on hand, it’ll be interesting to see whether the pursuit of the resurgent Verlander is rejoined at some point.
  • Speaking of the Tigers, the organization evidently considered quite a few other deals before largely holding pat. The Mets “seriously discussed” giving up Michael Conforto for the final season of control over star slugger J.D. Martinez, but ultimately backed down. While the Astros reportedly checked in on Miguel Cabrera, they were asking for “more than half of the $150 million remaining on Cabrera’s contract” to be paid by Detroit and apparently never offered enough for the front office to bring a deal to ownership. And both the Twins and Padres made inquiries on shortstop Jose Iglesias, but clearly nothing developed with either team.
  • Though the Indians had real interest in Chase Utley, the team’s offer was shy of the ultimately successful bid from the Dodgers. Still, it seems that Cleveland very nearly landed him before L.A. “stepped in late,” per Heyman.
  • While the Reds have said they are done adding to their MLB roster, Heyman suggests the organization could make a play for some of the veteran pitchers still available. Cincinnati may even have outbid the Padres for Jered Weaver, who earned $3MM, though it’s not clear whether the club ever did so.
  • Veteran righty Tim Lincecum is drawing some interest as he prepares for a showcase, according to Heyman, though surely he won’t draw as much intrigue as he did last year. It’s unclear what’s next for catcher Steve Clevenger, who has attempted to rehabilitate his image in an interview with Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. His former team, the Orioles, at least considered offering him a minor-league pact, but ultimately decided against it.
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Baltimore Orioles Cincinnati Reds Cleveland Guardians Detroit Tigers Houston Astros Los Angeles Dodgers Milwaukee Brewers Minnesota Twins New York Mets San Diego Padres Texas Rangers Chase Utley J.D. Martin J.D. Martinez Jered Weaver Jonathan Lucroy Jonathan Villar Jose Iglesias Justin Verlander Matt Wieters Michael Conforto Miguel Cabrera Steve Clevenger Tim Lincecum

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NL Notes: Cubs, Weaver, Reds, Mets, Nats

By Connor Byrne | February 19, 2017 at 3:07pm CDT

Whether the Cubs extend right-hander Jake Arrieta prior to free agency next winter will be up to president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer, chairman Tom Ricketts told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. “They have the right perspective on what they have to put a great team on the field this year but have a longer term perspective in realizing decisions that affect this year might hurt us in a few years,” said Ricketts, who added that the reigning World Series champions will be “thoughtful and strategic” in deciding when to exceed the luxury-tax threshold. The Cubs spent past the mark for the first time last year, but they’re on track to avoid the penalty this season, estimates Jason Martinez of Roster Resource and MLBTR. Allowing Arrieta to walk in free agency next year would help the Cubs stay under the limit in 2018, too, though they’d also lose the 2015 NL Cy Young winner and one of the game’s top starters. It seems that will happen, however, as Arrieta’s agent, Scott Boras, could push for a $200MM-plus deal. In the meantime, Arrieta will make $15.6375M in his final year of team control.

More from the Senior Circuit:

  • Before he accepted the Padres’ one-year, $3MM offer on Saturday, righty Jered Weaver drew interest from other teams, including the Reds, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link). Weaver, a California native who spent the first 11 years of his career in Anaheim, could have signed for more money had he left his home state, per Heyman. In Cincinnati, the 34-year-old Weaver likely would have joined Anthony DeSclafani, Scott Feldman and Brandon Finnegan as locks for the rotation.
  • A pair of high-profile Mets took small but encouraging steps in their injury recoveries Sunday, manager Terry Collins announced (via MetsBlog). Third baseman David Wright threw for the first time since he underwent neck surgery last June, accumulating 30 tosses from 60 to 70 feet, and “felt good” (Twitter link via Matt Ehalt of The Record). Right-hander Zack Wheeler, meanwhile, threw his first bullpen session since he he felt “tenderness” in his surgically repaired elbow earlier this week and didn’t report any problems afterward. Wheeler didn’t pitch in the majors in either of the past two seasons – and totaled just one minor league inning, at the High-A level, in that time – on account of a 2015 Tommy John procedure. Health permitting, Wheeler could slot back into the Mets’ rotation this year, but assistant general manager John Ricco told MLB Network Radio on Sunday that it’s too early to determine whether they’ll use the soon-to-be 27-year-old as a starter or reliever (Twitter link).
  • As of early January, the Nationals were prepared to begin extension talks with contract-year manager Dusty Baker. While it’s unclear if discussions have since begun, Baker indicated Sunday that he expects to hammer out an agreement with the club in the near future. “I’m very confident that we’ll get things worked out,” Baker told Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post (Twitter link). “You’d like to do it sooner rather than later because I don’t want to be a distraction.” In 2016, Baker’s first season at the helm in D.C., the Nats improved from 83-79 to 95-67 en route to an NL East title, though they weren’t able to get past the Dodgers in the NLDS.
  • While Braves second baseman Brandon Phillips claims he didn’t block the Reds’ initial attempt to trade him to Atlanta in November, members of the Cincy organization say otherwise, according to Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer. However, those individuals have elected against going on the record to dispute Phillips’ account so as not to create a public rift with the longtime franchise cornerstone.
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Atlanta Braves Chicago Cubs Cincinnati Reds New York Mets San Diego Padres Washington Nationals Brandon Phillips David Wright Dusty Baker Jake Arrieta Jered Weaver Zack Wheeler

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Padres Sign Jered Weaver

By charliewilmoth | February 19, 2017 at 11:11am CDT

SUNDAY: The Padres have announced Weaver’s signing. To make room for Weaver, the club has placed righty Colin Rea on the 60-day disabled list. Rea underwent Tommy John surgery in November and won’t pitch this year.

SATURDAY: The Padres have agreed to terms with veteran righty Jered Weaver to a one-year deal, Fan Rag’s Jon Heyman tweets. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale was the first to tweet a deal was close. Weaver will receive $3MM, as Heyman tweets and SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo confirms. Weaver can also receive a $250K assignment bonus. Weaver is a client of the Boras Corporation.

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[Related: Updated San Diego Padres Depth Chart]

The Padres were repeatedly connected to Weaver this winter as the team aimed to remake its rotation. After parting ways with Andrew Cashner and James Shields in trades last season and then non-tendering Tyson Ross, the Padres’ starting pitching corps looked extremely thin. The team has since added veterans Jhoulys Chacin, Clayton Richard and Trevor Cahill to eat innings, and it appears Weaver will be another arm to add to that mix.

Weaver has pitched his entire career to this point a short drive up Interstate 5 in Anaheim, and his new deal with the Padres allows the Southern California native to stay in familiar environs. The 34-year-old has generally been a reliable workhorse throughout his career, but he’s undergone a long decline in the past several seasons that culminated in a very disappointing 2016 in which he posted a 5.06 ERA, 5.2 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 while averaging just 83 MPH with his fastball. ERA estimators suggested he was even worse than that 5.06 ERA suggested, with a 5.64 xFIP and 5.44 SIERA. His ground ball rate also continued to drop to just 28.8%, and he led the AL in home runs allowed, with 37. A big-league deal for him is a small coup for Boras at this point.

Even as Weaver’s velocity and strikeout rate have diminished in recent years, however, he still managed to pitch 178 innings last season, and his ability to take the ball has value. He could be an asset for a Padres staff that could struggle to get through games in 2017.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Newsstand San Diego Padres Transactions Colin Rea Jered Weaver

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Pitching Notes: Lewis, Weaver, Masterson, Cubs

By Steve Adams | February 14, 2017 at 11:13pm CDT

Free-agent righty Colby Lewis bid adieu to the Rangers organization in a statement to reporters, including Anthony Andro (Twitter link). Though he has still yet to sign, it seems that there’s now no possibility of a reunion with Texas. Lewis, 37, did not suggest that he’s planning to retire, though he has yet to find a roster spot with camps opening around the league. The veteran right-hander posted a solid 3.71 ERA in 116 2/3 innings last season, but he struggled upon returning from a lat strain that sidelined him for nearly two months. Beyond that, ERA alternatives like FIP, xFIP and SIERA all felt he was fortunate to get through the season with that 3.71 mark, as he posted an abnormally low BABIP while his strikeout, walk and home-run rates each trended in the wrong direction.

A few more notes on the waning market for arms…

  • If there was any doubt, former Angels righty Jered Weaver made clear recently to teammates that he won’t be back with the Halos, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports (Twitter links). Right-hander Garrett Richards told reporters that Weaver recently sent out a group text telling his now-former teammates what a pleasure it was to play alongside them. Said Richards of receiving the text: “After that went out, everything was put into perspective that he wasn’t coming back… It’s going to be weird.” Weaver has been connected to the Padres on multiple occasions, though a union between the two sides has not yet commenced. It’s possible that he could latch on there or with another club, as multiple teams are still seeking depth, and injuries are sure to continue to arise as Spring Training gets underway.
  • Justin Masterson worked out for eight teams in Phoenix, Ariz. earlier today, per ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link). He’ll pitch again for some clubs on Friday, Crasnick adds. The Twins were reportedly in attendance for today’s session, though it’s not clear which other clubs were present. Masterson’s last productive MLB campaign came back in 2013, as injuries have hampered his results in recent years. He struggled with Pittsburgh’s Triple-A affiliate last season, but at age 31 (32 in March), he’s hardly old enough to doubt the possibility of a successful comeback effort.
  • The Cubs passed on matching the Royals’ offer to Travis Wood and on matching the recent commitments made to Jerry Blevins (by the Mets) and Boone Logan (by the Indians) in large part because they’re saving their resources for the summer trade market, writes CSN Chicago’s Patrick Mooney. “There were some relievers who became available on shorter deals late that we were interested in early on (with) those types of deals,” said president of baseball ops Theo Epstein. “But they weren’t really ready to commit yet to the shorter deal. And then by the time it rolled around late in the offseason, we kind of spent our money.” Epstein specifically cited a desire for “flexibility for in-season moves” and added that the baseball operations department had some “self-imposed limitations” late in the winter. As such, it doesn’t sound as if Cubs fans should expect much in the way of significant additions to the roster between now and Opening Day.
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Chicago Cubs Los Angeles Angels Texas Rangers Colby Lewis Jered Weaver Justin Masterson

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Padres Considering Travis Wood, Jered Weaver

By Jeff Todd | February 10, 2017 at 4:59pm CDT

The Padres are still working to add another arm to their rotation mix, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Lefty Travis Wood has joined righty Jered Weaver among the arms under consideration, per the report.

San Diego has steadily rebuilt its rotation on the cheap this winter, signing Jhoulys Chacin, Clayton Richard, and Trevor Cahill to budget-friendly, one-year deals. Evidently, the club remains interested in bolstering its depth with a fourth signing.

In all likelihood, says Rosenthal, the club would add just one of those two pitchers. Another previously rumored potential match, former Friars star Jake Peavy, could still be a fit but appears to be less likely at this juncture.

While we’ve heard plenty about the interest in Weaver over recent months, Wood is a new addition to the Padres’ picture. Recent reports suggest that multiple organizations are pursuing him as a starter, and he ought to hold appeal to others as a reliever, so it stands to reason that he’ll command a fair bit more money than the other arms San Diego has gathered thus far.

Wood, who just turned 30, has succeeded most recently as a reliever, posting 61 innings of 2.95 ERA ball last year for the Cubs. That said, metrics felt he was somewhat fortunate to generate those results. He failed to follow up on a jump in his strikeout rate that came with his move to the bullpen in 2015, falling from 10.5 K/9 that year to 6.9 K/9 in 2016, and posted unremarkable walk (3.5 BB/9) and groundball (37.4%) rates while benefiting from a .215 batting average on balls put in play against him.

Still, the Padres are among the teams that obviously feel Wood can not only contribute as a reliever, but return to being a useful starter. He has ample experience working from the rotation, having carried a 4.19 ERA over 776 frames between 2010 and 2015. As MLBTR’s Connor Byrne recently noted in discussing the Yankees’ interest in the veteran lefty, Wood has long made his flyball-heavy approach work by generating a healthy number of harmless infield flies. In 2016, he racked up those easy outs on 17.8% of batted balls, one of the highest rates in the majors.

 

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San Diego Padres Jake Peavy Jered Weaver Travis Wood

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West Notes: Athletics, Gray, Padres, Weaver, Dodgers

By Connor Byrne | January 28, 2017 at 9:45pm CDT

Athletics right-hander Sonny Gray endured an injury-plagued 2016 in which his production declined sharply, thereby hurting his trade value. Gray isn’t far removed from an ace-like stretch from 2013-15, though, and a rebound this year would increase the likelihood of the A’s trading him during the season, writes Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. While general manager David Forst would like Gray to spend the next decade in an A’s uniform, the two sides haven’t engaged in any extension talks, reports Slusser (Twitter links). Gray, 28, is controllable via arbitration through the 2019 campaign and will make $3.58MM this season.

More from California:

  • The Padres are maintaining interest in free agent righty Jered Weaver, tweets Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego has been targeting Weaver for over a month, and the team reportedly offered him more than the $1.75MM in guarantees it gave to each of Jhoulys Chacin, Trevor Cahill and Clayton Richard earlier this offseason. The 34-year-old Weaver, a careerlong Angel who’s coming off his worst season, would presumably join Chacin, Cahill and Richard to comprise four-fifths of a rotation if he were to sign with the rebuilding Padres. The Friars have also shown interest in fellow veteran righty Jake Peavy, their former ace, but talks between the two haven’t “heated up,” per Lin.
  • The Dodgers are prioritizing their bullpen as spring training approaches, team president Andrew Friedman informed Doug Padilla of ESPN.com. “I don’t think you ever get to a place with the bullpen where you’re done,” said Friedman. “It’s something that every year, heading into the season, it scares you.” The Dodgers have added Brandon Morrow as a potential bullpen piece this week, and they’re reportedly in on free agents Joe Blanton, Craig Breslow and Jerry Blevins. Blanton was a prominent member of the Dodgers’ relief corps last season, as was J.P Howell, but they haven’t been able to land deals with February nearing.
  • After beginning last season as a starter, Dodgers southpaw Alex Wood underwent an elbow procedure in July and returned as a reliever toward the end of the campaign. He could be a factor in their bullpen this year, then, but Wood said Saturday that he’ll work as a starter in spring training and expects to crack the Dodgers’ season-opening rotation (Twitter link via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com). Wood might have a legitimate shot to land a starting job to begin the year, as phenom Julio Urias could head to extended spring training in the early going. It appears Wood will face competition from Hyun-Jin Ryu, however.
  • The Athletics are unlikely to make any further roster alterations leading up spring training, according to Forst (Twitter link via John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group). If the A’s are indeed done for the offseason, outfielders Matt Joyce and Rajai Davis, reliever Santiago Casilla and third baseman Trevor Plouffe will go down as their winter haul.
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Los Angeles Dodgers Oakland Athletics San Diego Padres Alex Wood Jake Peavy Jered Weaver Sonny Gray

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Heyman’s Latest: Wieters, Carter, Hammel, Padres, Francoeur

By Steve Adams | January 23, 2017 at 3:25pm CDT

Agent Scott Boras predicted earlier this winter that Matt Wieters would be a January signee, but the clock is running out even on that rather cautious timeline, FanRag’s Jon Heyman writes in his latest notes column. The Nationals and Angels remain the two likeliest landing spots, Heyman adds, though the Washington Post and other D.C. media outlets have continually downplayed the possibility. Boras is said to have recently met with the Angels, he also reports, and the Halos do indeed seem like an on-paper fit with Martin Maldonado penciled in as the presumptive starter at this time.

A few more items of interest…

  • The Rangers and Rays are both still in the mix for slugger Chris Carter, though Tampa Bay is looking for a “steep bargain” in its search for a hitter, and the Rangers are still in contact with Mike Napoli’s camp. (Talks there look to have cooled as of late, though Heyman notes that Texas is still Napoli’s most logical landing spot.) Both teams are offering low base salaries, and an incentive-laden deal could be a compromise to further advance talks.
  • The Mariners were talking with Jason Hammel before acquiring Yovani Gallardo and Drew Smyly in separate trades with the Orioles and Rays, respectively. Seattle doesn’t seem like a great fit for Hammel following those two additions, and what many expected to be a robust market for his services has proven to be tepid at best. Hammel switched agents late last month (after those talks took place) and is now represented by ACES.
  • The Padres offered Jered Weaver more than the $1.75MM that they guaranteed to each of Jhoulys Chacin, Trevor Cahill and Clayton Richard, but whatever sum they offered didn’t get the job done. San Diego still “clearly” is looking for someone to lead an uncertain rotation, though, Heyman writes. As it stands, the starting five for manager Andy Green will be a competition between Richard, Cahill, Chacin, Luis Perdomo, Christian Friedrich, Paul Clemens, Tyrell Jenkins and Cesar Vargas. Jake Peavy would still love to land back in San Diego, per Heyman, though he “may be further down [the Padres’] list.”
  • Right-hander Kyle Lohse isn’t giving up on the idea of pitching again in 2017. The 38-year-old pitched just 9 1/3 innings in two starts with Texas last season, allowing 13 earned runs in that time. He also struggled in Triple-A, recording a 5.06 ERA in 58 2/3 innings. Lohse was effective as recently as 2014 and had a quietly excellent stretch from 2011-14, but he’s struggled in consecutive seasons now. He could still fit somewhere as a non-roster invite and bring plenty of insight to some young pitchers in Spring Training, but he’s a long shot to break camp with a big league team.
  • The Marlins and Braves are both talking to Jeff Francoeur about a potential reunion, Heyman tweets. “Frenchy” split the 2016 season between Atlanta and Miami, batting a combined .254/.297/.378 with seven home runs. It’s been five years since Francoeur turned in an OBP north of .300, but he’s consistently valued by big league teams for his leadership and clubhouse presence. If the Marlins believe him to be capable of playing some first base, he could pair with Justin Bour as a platoon partner. While that’s just speculation on my behalf, Francoeur is a career .279/.328/.449 hitter against lefties and batted .271/.313/.414 in 133 PAs against southpaws last season.
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Atlanta Braves Los Angeles Angels Miami Marlins San Diego Padres Seattle Mariners Tampa Bay Rays Texas Rangers Chris Carter Jake Peavy Jason Hammel Jeff Francoeur Jered Weaver Kyle Lohse Matt Wieters

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Heyman’s Latest: Encarnacion, Trumbo, Jays, Moss, Napoli, Dozier, Padres

By Jeff Todd and Steve Adams | December 28, 2016 at 4:37pm CDT

In the wake of Edwin Encarnacion’s signing, there are now a whole lot of power hitters who could be next in line to sign. That situation provides much of the impetus behind the latest notes column from Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. You’ll want to read the whole thing to get his full take on the market, but here are a few notable items of information:

  • The Athletics’ entry into the chase for Encarnacion helped push the action that led to his signing, per Heyman. Oakland proposed two separate scenarios, he notes, one of which would’ve been a straight two-year, $50MM deal and the other of which would have tacked on a third-year option in exchange for an opt-out clause. Before those offers pushed the Indians to boost their own deal, Encarnacion had been fielding many less-desirable possible arrangements. Indeed, the Blue Jays were mostly engaged with their former star on one-year possibilities most recently, Heyman notes.
  • With Encarnacion now off to Cleveland, the many remaining sluggers will be looking to land with a variety of other suitors. Heyman suggests that the Blue Jays, Orioles, and Rangers are all “very likely” to add bats, while listing a number of other teams that could get involved as well. That includes the Rays, Giants, Phillies, White Sox, Angels, and Rockies, each of whom has at least some interest in the remaining market.
  • Mark Trumbo is probably now the player with the highest earning capacity who has yet to sign, but his landing spot remains hard to peg. Beyond the Orioles and Rockies, Heyman says, “a couple more opportunities may have cropped up” of late.
  • It seems unlikely that the Blue Jays will punt a pick to sign Jose Bautista (which they’d technically be doing, as they’d no longer be in line for the comp pick they stand to gain when he signs elsewhere), he adds, even if he’s now available on a one-year pact. Toronto does need to make some outfield additions, though, and Heyman writes that the club has kept tabs on free agents Michael Saunders and Brandon Moss, along with “many others.” The Orioles are also said to have interest in Saunders, as has been suggested previously, and Heyman suggests that the Phillies — who’d prefer to add a lefty bat — have some interest in Moss.
  • Mike Napoli was said to be seeking a three-year deal earlier this winter, but this report now indicates that he’s seeking a two-year contract, which seems quite a bit more plausible. The Rangers are reportedly a “strong possibility” for Napoli, though Heyman notes the possibility of the ever-popular “mystery team” in Napoli’s market, suggesting that Napoli has at least one suitor that has yet to be linked to him publicly.
  • While the Dodgers are willing to give up Jose De Leon in a trade that would net them Brian Dozier from the Twins, they’re not willing to include first base prospect Cody Bellinger or well-regarded right-handed pitching prospects Yadier Alvarez or Walker Buehler alongside De Leon. Heyman writes that some clubs feel the Dodgers are being “stingy” with their prospects and overvaluing their minor league talent, though as he points out, that approach worked to their benefit with regards to Corey Seager and Julio Urias (although none of the names listed are as well-regarded as that pair was).
  • In addition to Jered Weaver, veteran right-handers Jake Peavy and Colby Lewis are on the Padres’ radar. Peavy would love the opportunity to return to San Diego, where he established himself as a star and won the 2007 National League Cy Young Award. I’ll point out that Lewis, too, has some connections to the Padres, as GM A.J. Preller was in the Rangers’ front office when Lewis returned from Japan and cemented himself as a Major League-caliber arm.
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Baltimore Orioles Chicago White Sox Cleveland Guardians Colorado Rockies Los Angeles Angels Los Angeles Dodgers Minnesota Twins Oakland Athletics Philadelphia Phillies San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants Tampa Bay Rays Texas Rangers Toronto Blue Jays Brandon Moss Brian Dozier Cody Bellinger Colby Lewis Corey Seager Edwin Encarnacion Jake Peavy Jered Weaver Jose Bautista Jose De Leon Mark Trumbo Michael Saunders Mike Napoli Mystery Team Walker Buehler Yadier Alvarez

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Padres Considering Jered Weaver

By Jeff Todd | December 21, 2016 at 8:37pm CDT

As the Padres continue to build out their rotation with affordable, veteran arms, the organization is considering a move on righty Jered Weaver, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter).

San Diego has parted ways with a variety of notable pitchers in recent months, which left the team with a skeleton crew entering the offseason. But the club has already reached a pair of modest, $1.75MM deals with Jhoulys Chacin and Clayton Richard, each of whom appear likely to occupy rotation slots.

Despite those signings, the rotation currently projects to feature at least three largely unproven arms. Jason Martinez of MLBTR and Roster Resource lists Luis Perdomo, Christian Friedrich, and Paul Clemens as the next starters in line on the Friars’ depth chart. Needless to say, that mix leaves plenty of room for addition.

Unlike rebuilding rivals such as the Braves and Phillies, each of whom committed significantly more cash to add their own short-term starters, the Padres are seemingly on the look for true bargains. San Diego is also said to be eyeing former staff ace Jake Peavy, who struggled last year with the Giants and will turn 36 during the 2017 season. The club surely has some interest in others as well.

Weaver, 34, ended his season with a minor back injury after giving the Angels 178 innings over 31 starts, but it seems that he fully expects to continue pitching. While he still commands the ball, and drew plaudits for taking the bump every fifth day, Weaver was more vulnerable than ever in his final season with Los Angeles. He surrendered a career-high 5.06 earned runs per nine with 5.2 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9. And those disappointing results came despite a continuation of his long history of outperforming the expectations of ERA estimators, which took rather a dim view of his 2016 effort (5.62 FIP, 5.64 xFIP, 5.44 SIERA).

Never a flamethrower, Weaver has seen his average four-seam fastball velocity decline from the ~90 mph range all the way down to 84 mph in 2016. Opposing hitters made hard contact at a 34.7% clip and hit homers on 12.7% of the flies they put in play against Weaver, both of which were career-worst numbers for the former Halos ace, who also generated grounders at a personal-low rate of 28.8%.

All told, it’s tough to see much reason to believe that Weaver can regain his form of old, though perhaps with some tweaks he can still represent a plausible back-of-the-rotation option. Given the rough platform year, it likely won’t take much of a commitment for the Padres or another organization to find out. Certainly, San Diego and others will place at least some additional value on Weaver’s pedigree and respected status around the game.

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San Diego Padres Jered Weaver

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