Rangers Entering Jose Quintana Talks?
3:25pm: Texas is not embarking on a new endeavor to land Quintana, despite their longstanding interest, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Two sources that spoke with him “downplayed the possibility of significant talks.”
As Grant suggests, one must consider the possibility that there’s some gamesmanship at play. Chicago has been known to be fielding offers on Quintana for months, and the Astros — rumored to be one of the primary suitors for Quintana — are a division-rival of the Rangers and would assuredly hate to see the left-hander open the season in Arlington. Chicago has reportedly asked Houston for a hefty package containing right-handers Joe Musgrove and Francis Martes as well as outfielder Kyle Tucker in exchange for Quintana in the past, and Houston has seemingly been steadfast in its refusal to meet that price.
2:47pm: The Rangers have “suddenly increased their pursuit” of White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports (Twitter link). He cautions that it’s not clear if the Texas will ultimately be able to pull off a deal, though their emergence is nonetheless the first apparent step forward in the Quintana trade market in several weeks.
A pursuit of Quintana makes sense on paper for the Rangers, who lack clarity in the rotation behind Yu Darvish, Cole Hamels, Martin Perez and Andrew Cashner. Texas signed Tyson Ross to eventually pitch in the fifth slot of the rotation, but he’s not likely to be ready to open the season. Beyond that, shifting to a six-man rotation later in the year could help keep not only Ross but the remainder of the rotation healthy. Darvish, in particular, has had recent injury woes, missing the 2015 campaign due to Tommy John surgery. Furthermore, Darvish is a free agent upon completion of the 2017 season, so adding Quintana would give the Rangers an affordable rotation piece that is controlled for three more seasons after Darvish is set to depart.
Certainly, there are obstacles to any Quintana trade. The Rangers, for one, have seen their once-vaunted farm system diminished in recent years by executing win-now trades for Hamels, Jonathan Lucroy, Jeremy Jeffress and Carlos Beltran, among others. While they once rated among the best minor league organizations in all of baseball, the Rangers recently placed 15th on this week’s rankings from ESPN’s Keith Law (subscription required and recommended). That said, the team still has appealing young talent in both the minors and in the Majors. Law placed outfielder Leody Taveras, right-hander Ariel Jurado and lefty Yohander Mendez all in his top 75 prospects, and the big league roster has controllable pieces such as Nomar Mazara, Rougned Odor and, to a lesser extent, Jurickson Profar — any of whom could pique the interest of White Sox GM Rick Hahn and his staff. Slugging corner infielder Joey Gallo, too, has long seen his name bandied about trade rumors — especially since Adrian Beltre inked a two-year extension with the team last year.
It’s also worth questioning exactly how Quintana would fit into the Rangers’ plans from a financial standpoint. While the roughly $37MM that Quintana is owed over the next four seasons is eminently affordable for a pitcher of his caliber, multiple reports this offseason have suggested that Texas is nearly tapped out in terms of payroll. The Rangers are projected to enter the season with a $166MM payroll, which would represent a new franchise record.
Adding Quintana’s $7MM salary to the ledger could be considered a stretch, although Texas has reportedly been trying to broker a one-year contract with Mike Napoli. If that’s the case, it’s hard to imagine that the team definitively cannot add another $7MM to its payroll — a deal for Napoli would figure to be in that range, at minimum — though perhaps Texas does not have the financial capital available to pull off both additions.
One also has to at least consider that the possibility that there’s some gamesmanship at play on behalf of the White Sox in this scenario as well. Chicago has been known to be fielding offers on Quintana for months, and the Astros — rumored to be one of the primary suitors for Quintana — are a division-rival of the Rangers and would assuredly hate to see the left-hander open the season in Arlington. Chicago has reportedly asked Houston for a hefty package containing right-handers Joe Musgrove and Francis Martes as well as outfielder Kyle Tucker in exchange for Quintana in the past, and Houston has seemingly been steadfast in its refusal to meet that price.
Luhnow: Astros Likely Done Making Significant Additions
Speaking with reporters yesterday, Astros GM Jeff Luhnow said the team was likely done making big-league additions this winter, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports. Luhnow is effectively saying the team is unlikely to add a big-name pitcher such as Jose Quintana, Chris Archer or Sonny Gray, all of whom they’ve been connected to lately. He is not, however, ruling out the possibility that the Astros could still make a move.
The Astros’ roster at the moment is “probably the roster that we’re going to have to start the season,” Luhnow said. “We’re always open to considering ways to improve it, but right now I’d set the expectations low that there’s going to be any major changes.”
Health permitting, the Astros will have Dallas Keuchel, Lance McCullers and Collin McHugh in their rotation. After receiving a $14MM contract this winter, Charlie Morton is a reasonable bet to win a job as well, although that’s not a certainty. Mike Fiers, Joe Musgrove and Chris Devenski are also in the picture, and top prospect Francis Martes could eventually emerge as a possibility.
“We feel like we’ve got enough depth in the rotation that we’ll have five guys in our rotation that are going to be able to compete every night, and our offense is going to keep us in games,” Luhnow said. He added that it’s possible the Astros could use the early months of the season to evaluate their starting pitching and then either try to trade for a pitcher or “save ourselves a few prospects” if it turns out they don’t need one.
Trade/Free Agent Rumors: Holland, Astros, Feliz, Saunders, Twins
Former Royals closer Greg Holland is getting closer to selecting a new team and could make a decision within the next week, tweets Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM. Holland has been said to be seeking a two-year guarantee with an opt-out after the first season as he looks to re-establish himself following Tommy John surgery late in the 2015 season. Roughly two-thirds of the league has been linked to Holland in some capacity, though it’s unlikely that the majority of teams would be comfortable with that type of contractual arrangement. The 30-year-old figures to draw interest from contenders and non-contenders alike so he’ll have to weigh not only the financial strength of the offers he receives but also the ability to pitch for contending club and the opportunity to compete for a ninth-inning job (which non-contending clubs may be more willing to offer right away than contenders).
Some more notes pertaining to the free-agent and trade markets…
- The Astros haven’t given up on the notion of acquiring one of Sonny Gray, Jose Quintana or Chris Archer and remain in contact with the Athletics, White Sox and Rays, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweeted recently. The extreme asking prices on each starter makes it seem unlikely that Houston would be able to pry any of that trio loose. They’ve already balked at Chicago’s reported asking price of Francis Martes, Kyle Tucker and Joe Musgrove for Quintana, and MLB Network’s Peter Gammons tweets that he received a flat “No” when he asked one source if Gray could land in Houston. Archer, meanwhile, seems like an even longer shot to contend. The Rays have already moved one of their starters, trading Drew Smyly to the Mariners, and the remainder of their offseason dealings have been largely focused in improving the 2017 club.
- While the Brewers and right-hander Neftali Feliz have yet to finalize an agreement, the two sides are still talking and working toward that goal, tweets MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. Reports over the weekend suggested that the two sides could be moving toward a deal, though there’s been little news since. Feliz had a strong 2016 season with the division-rival Pirates (3.52 ERA, 10.2 K/9, 3.5 BB/9 in 53 2/3 innings) but finished the season on the shelf with a somewhat vague arm injury.
- Both the Blue Jays and Orioles were “in” on Michael Saunders before the outfielder agreed to a one-year, $9MM with the Phillies (which includes an $11MM club option and escalators), tweets ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick. Per Crasnick, Saunders also drew some level of interest from the Brewers and the Diamondbacks as well, Crasnick adds, which is somewhat interesting given the fact that neither club has a clear on-paper need for an additional regular in the outfield.
- Twins manager Paul Molitor tells La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he’s hopeful the front office will add a veteran to the roster to help bring some experience to what is overall a young clubhouse. “I’ve talked to Thad and Derek about my opinions about adding, where we could, more experienced people who have the reputation of being influential in clubhouse culture as well as leadership,” said Molitor, “and a guy who can still play.” Neal speculates that an outfield bat would be the likeliest fit, noting that Minnesota is pretty well stocked in terms of infield options and DH types.
Quick Hits: Quintana, White Sox, Sabathia, Harper, Grichuk
Interest remains strong in White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana, writes CBS Chicago’s Bruce Levine, who reports that teams have sweetened their trade proposals for the 27-year-old over the past week. While the Astros, Pirates and Yankees have been connected to Quintana more than anyone else this offseason, there are also other clubs in the mix, sources told Levine, who adds that the White Sox could strike a deal to move him soon. Chicago isn’t in any hurry to give up Quintana, but Levine expects it to happen prior to spring training.
Elsewhere around the majors…
- Yankees southpaw C.C. Sabathia will turn 37 in 2017, the last year of his contract, but retirement isn’t on his mind. Regarding the end of the long Yankee tenures of Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira last season, Sabathia told Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record, “If anything, it made me want to play as long as I can. As long as I’m healthy and feeling good, I want to play.’’ While Sabathia is no longer the front-line starter he was earlier in his career, he did bounce back last season from a couple subpar years in a row. In 179 2/3 innings, he logged a 3.91 ERA, 7.61 K/9, 3.26 BB/9 and 50.1 percent ground-ball rate. That impressed general manager Brian Cashman, who said, “It’s a big year for him. It’s his free-agent walk year. And I’ll sign up right now to get what we got out of him last year. He was very effective.’’ Cashman also stated that Sabathia’s “expectations and hopes are to pitch for another four or five years or something like that.”
- The Nationals and right fielder Bryce Harper avoided arbitration Friday when they agreed to a $13.625MM salary for 2017. That figure trumps MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz’s $9.3MM arbitration projection for Harper, leading Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com to wonder if it was a goodwill gesture on the Nationals’ part. Harper made $5MM last season, which was a bargain even during a down year for the 2015 National League MVP. By nearly tripling Harper’s salary, Zuckerman posits that the Nats may have been trying to make up for his cheap cost last year and perhaps improve their chances of extending the Scott Boras client before he hits free agency two winters from now. However, regardless of the club’s motivation, Zuckerman concedes that Harper’s 2017 salary probably won’t affect whether he’ll stay in D.C.
- Cardinals outfielder Randal Grichuk underwent left knee surgery to remove loose cartilage earlier this offseason, he told reporters – including Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch – on Sunday (Twitter link). Grichuk added that he’s doing well after a month-plus recovery. The 25-year-old has now undergone surgeries in back-to-back offseasons, including a procedure to repair a sports hernia last winter. With the signing of big-money center fielder Dexter Fowler in free agency, Grichuk is in line for the everyday job in left next season (depth chart).
Market Notes: Ross, Bourn, Braves, Bruce
With plenty of apparent interest, veteran righty Tyson Ross is “taking a methodical approach” to deciding upon his next organization, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports in his latest notes column. Among the elements under consideration are the rehap options and “contractual structures” being proposed. Last we heard, the Rangers and Cubs were pursuing Ross most aggressively, with the Nationals also showing interest. All three clubs, it seems, are also lining up other possibilities in the event that they miss on the talented 29-year-old, who is attempting to work back from thoracic outlet surgery. Chicago, in particular, could turn its attention back to southpaw Travis Wood, notes Rosenthal, who says the team still likes the lefty.
- Meanwhile, per Rosenthal, the Orioles remain interested in Michael Bourn despite adding another left-handed-hitting outfielder in Seth Smith. Baltimore wants to boost the glovework in its outfield mix, he says, and evidently remains favorably disposed toward the veteran after his late-season run with the club in 2016. It’s not immediately clear how things would look if Bourn joins Smith and Hyun Soo Kim as southpaw-swinging options, though presumably either of the existing players could also mix in at DH, while Bourn could also spell Adam Jones in center.
- Though the Braves have added three veteran pieces to their rotation this winter, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman suggests that the club will continue to pursue a controllable, top-flight hurler. He cites Jose Quintana of the White Sox and Chris Archer of the Rays as the likeliest targets; indeed, Atlanta has long been connected to both, among plenty of other organizations. It would surely represent something of a surprise at this point were the Braves to make a major strike for a starter, but the organization has proved willing and able in the past to pull off significant deals at any stage of the year.
- The Mets continue to face a seeming dilemma with outfielder Jay Bruce, who hasn’t generated much demand on the trade market with a variety of power-hitting free agents still available on the open market. Joel Sherman of the New York Post takes a look at the situation, arguing that the club simply needs to make the best deal it can — even if it means eating salary. New York could explore ways to add a reliever in a Bruce swap, he notes, but shouldn’t allow his $13MM salary to get in the way of bolstering the pen.
Cashman: Yankees Likely Done Adding To 2017 Roster
Yankees GM Brian Cashman suggested in an appearance on the YES Network that his organization is all but done with its offseason roster moves, as Jack Curry of YES reports (Twitter links). Though he’s still checking in on available free agents, Cashman says it’s 99.9 percent likely that there won’t be any significant new additions.
The long-time New York front office man also addressed the club’s reported pursuit of White Sox lefty Jose Quintana. Chicago’s asking price is simply too high, says Cashman, with Curry reporting that the rebuilding South Siders are seeking “at least 3 elite prospects” in return for the talented southpaw.
[RELATED: Yankees Depth Chart]
To date, the Yankees have made two significant additions in lefty Aroldis Chapman and outfielder/DH Matt Holliday. But the club is set to rely on quite a few younger players as it continues an effort to transition to a somewhat leaner, more sustainable roster.
It’s certainly arguable that there’s work left to do. The rotation, especially, has quite a few questions and could obviously stand to be upgraded. And there’s some reason to think another bullpen lefty might be desirable. Unless something changes, though, it appears that the Yankees are more or less prepared to head into camp with the current mix of MLB talent available to them.
Morosi’s Latest: Hammel, Rangers, Quintana, Braun, Dodgers, Feliz
The market has finally seen some movement, both via trades and free-agent signings, in recent days, and there’s plenty more to come with Spring Training just six weeks away. Here’s the latest chatter on various potential player movements, all via Jon Morosi of MLB Network (all links below are to his Twitter feed).
- Though Jason Hammel has seemingly had trouble finding active pursuers, the Rangers are now in the mix for the righty. That’s certainly promising news for Hammel, who may no longer be under consideration for the Mariners now that they’ve added Yovani Gallardo. Of course, Seattle also just parted with Nate Karns, and GM Jerry Dipoto says he’s still amenable to bolstering his staff (via Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune, on Twitter). As for Texas, the level of interest remains unclear, though it’s certainly plausible to imagine the team deciding that Hammel would be a worthwile bet to provide some solid innings. The biggest question, perhaps, is whether they’ll instead land Tyson Ross first.
- As the White Sox continue to discuss trade arrangements involving Jose Quintana, the Astros remain one of the rival organizations most fervently in pursuit. That’s hardly surprising, as Houston has long been said to be engaged on the talented lefty. Certainly, it still seems there’s sufficient momentum towards a deal for something to get done, though it remains to be seen whether the ‘Stros or another club will come up with the best offer.
- The Giants are not actively pursuing Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun. And though the Dodgers still remain a possible match with Milwaukee, the Los Angeles organization is currently still focused on trying to work out a trade for second baseman Brian Dozier. It’s not known whether the Dodgers would embark upon a pursuit of Braun if they’re able to add Dozier. While they obviously play different positions, Dozier would accomplish the goal of adding right-handed pop while occupying a position of greater need for L.A., which has a rather lengthy list of potential outfielders.
- Meanwhile, the Dodgers are on the hunt for a righty set-up man. One possibility, per Morosi, is live-armed 28-year-old Neftali Feliz, who is arguably the best-remaining relief pitcher. MLBTR’s Charlie Wilmoth recently took a look at Feliz’s free-agent case.
White Sox Maintaining Daily Trade Talks Regarding Jose Quintana
The White Sox have maintained daily trade talks centering around ace Jose Quintana, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). The Astros, Pirates and, to a much lesser extent, the Yankees remain involved in talks, though the Yankees are less willing than other interested suitors to part with the requisite prospects to pull off a Quintana deal. Rosenthal characterizes the Yanks as a “long shot,” noting that the White Sox are steadfast in their asking price on Quintana and could look to move him at the deadline if no suitable offer arises this winter. Other teams could be in the mix as well, he further adds.
Earlier today, ESPN’s Buster Olney suggested that the White Sox would like any trade for Quintana to be completed before Spring Training opens, though Quintana’s excellence and favorable contract would allow him to be traded at virtually any point during the calendar year so long as he’s healthy.
Both the Astros and Pirates have long been rumored as potential suitors for Quintana, though to this point neither club has been willing to meet Chicago’s understandably lofty asking price for the second of its prized top-of-the-rotation southpaws. (Chris Sale, of course, has already been dealt to Boston.) The White Sox reportedly asked the Astros for 24-year-old right-hander Joe Musgrove (who was solid in a 69-inning MLB debut last year) and the team’s top two prospects, righty Francis Martes and outfielder Kyle Tucker, in exchange for Quintana last month.
It’s not clear precisely what the Sox have asked of the Pirates to this point, though one can imagine top prospects like Austin Meadows and Mitch Keller have come up in trade talks. Young, potentially MLB-ready assets like Josh Bell and Tyler Glasnow, each of whom rated as a top 50 prospect before debuting in the Majors last year, also figure to hold plenty of appeal to the rebuilding Pale Hose.
Rosenthal adds in a third tweet that if the White Sox are able to find a palatable offer for their top remaining starter, then they could look to add a veteran pitcher on a one-year deal to help round out the rotation and mentor some of the organization’s young arms. Chicago already went down that road once by buying low on longtime Rangers lefty Derek Holland following the trade of Sale, and a similar move would seem prudent in the event that Quintana moves as well. Adding a veteran starter would prevent the Sox from feeling the need to rush a top pitching prospect like Lucas Giolito or Reynaldo Lopez to the Majors, and any veteran that performs well on a short-term pact could become a trade commodity this summer once contending clubs look to augment their starting rotations.
Quintana won’t turn 28 until later this month and is controlled for another four seasons at an eminently affordable total of $37.85MM. Better yet, only two of those seasons are guaranteed (at a total of $16.85MM), so if Quintana does suffer a disastrous injury or experience a stunning downturn in productivity, the financial commitment is even more manageable. That, of course, seems decidedly unlikely. Quintana is still in the midst of his prime and has been one of the game’s best performers on the mound across the past several seasons. He’s turned in four straight seasons of at least 200 innings, combining for a 3.35 ERA with 7.7 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and a 43.7 percent ground-ball rate in 814 2/3 frames — numbers that are all the more impressive when considering his hitter-friendly home environment and the poor defenses that the White Sox have deployed in recent years.
Market Notes: Quintana, Bautista, Yankees, Hammel, Reds, Marlins
If a trade partner is to be found for lefty Jose Quintana, the White Sox hope to complete the deal prior to the start of Spring Training, Buster Olney of ESPN.com notes as part of his column today (Insider link). That’s not particularly surprising, perhaps, as most pre-season swaps are wrapped up when camp opens. What’s interesting, though, is that Olney seemingly hints that the club is motivated to get a deal done now, though he does note that the organization ought to have no trouble finding a suitor at the trade deadline.
- The Blue Jays aren’t particularly inclined to bring back veteran free agent Jose Bautista, Olney further suggests. We have heard reports of late that there is at least some chatter between the sides, and also that Bautista is amenable to taking a one-year deal (albeit at a fairly lofty salary). But we’ve seen other indications that Toronto is looking at other angles — see here, for instance — and Olney’s note adds to that side of the reporting.
- The Yankees remain engaged on Quintana and other pitchers even as the organization says it is content with its pitching mix, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reports. “We benefited from [the high prospect costs to swing a trade] at the Trade Deadline, but now, obviously, on the acquisition side of it, it’s very costly to do business as well,” says GM Brian Cashman. “We’ll continue to evaluate it and stay engaged, but we’re prepared to go to Spring Training with the team we have currently if need be.”
- Free-agent righty Jason Hammel has drawn at least some interest from the Yankees, Hoch adds. He’d surely welcome that pursuit given the somewhat surprising lack of action in his market after a solid 2016 season. As things stand, New York will presumably round out its rotation through some kind of camp battle. Pitchers such as Chad Green, Bryan Mitchell, Adam Warren, Luis Severino, and Luis Cessa could factor in the competition; Jason Martinez of MLBTR and Roster Resource currently projects Green and Mitchell to take rotation jobs.
- While the Reds just announced a deal with righty Drew Storen, they are still in the market for relievers, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Also seeking pen arms are the Brewers and Athletics, per the report. MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon adds that Cincinnati is additionally looking at the market for a veteran starter as well as some catching depth, so there may yet be some more additions on the horizon.
- The Marlins are still eyeing bench pieces as they look to finish off an active winter. MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro looks at a few possibilities for the club, most of whom would represent right-handed-hitting complements for first baseman Justin Bour. (While the Fish say they’re inclined to let him face more lefties, his minimal experience against them has not gone well.) It’s not specifically apparent just who Miami is actually interested in pursuing, but Frisaro does note that Jeff Francoeur — who spent time with the organization late in 2016 — would be amenable to trying out first base.
Latest On Jose Quintana, David Robertson
11:22am: Nightengale cites the Yankees and Pirates as the two most aggressive teams on Quintana, via Twitter, even noting that there have been some discussions of a three-team arrangement of some kind (as has been rumored elsewhere of late). But it’s still far from clear whether there’s any real reason to believe there is anything approaching a serious negotiation at this stage. In fact, sources tell Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link) that the Yankees aren’t currently working on any deal to land Quintana and Robertson.
8:38am: As the Yankees and White Sox continue to explore trade arrangements involving highly valued southpaw Jose Quintana, the organizations have now also “expanded” their discussions to include Chicago closer David Robertson, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). The Sox would keep part of the remaining $25MM left on Robertson’s contract in any agreement.
We’ve heard varying suggestions recently as to just how serious New York’s interest in Quintana really is. Certainly, there’s a need on paper for the Yanks, who might at least be somewhat more willing to part with some of their newly acquired farm depth to add a youthful, affordable, controllable starter such as Quintana.
The insertion of Robertson into the mix adds some intrigue, though it still isn’t apparent how likely the sides are to line up on a deal. It’s possible to imagine the 31-year-old righty making a return to New York, where he spent seven strong years, to form another three-headed bullpen monster with Aroldis Chapman and Dellin Betances. But wrapping Robertson into a deal could also set up a variety of other alternatives for the Yanks, who could conceivably go on to flip Robertson or even move Betances to offset the presumably lofty cost it would take to pry Quintana loose.
From the White Sox’ perspective, there’s still no urgent need to deal their best remaining rotation piece, or even to part ways with Robertson except to help facilitate an appealing return of talent. But after already sending out ace Chris Sale, along with quality outfielder Adam Eaton, there’s certainly an argument to be made that the organization ought to make every effort to cash in Quintana this winter rather than rolling the dice on his continued health and effectiveness.
If there’s something of a game of chicken ongoing between the South Siders and the Bronx Bombers, there are also plenty of other forces at play. The Pirates have reportedly pushed hard to land Quintana, and a pair of AL West rivals are still competitive, too. We heard recently that the Rangers have interest, and the Astros have already kicked around some potential packages for the 27-year-old lefty.