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East Notes: Rodriguez, Braves, Red Sox

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FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported Saturday that Braves utilityman Sean Rodriguez will miss three to five months as a result of shoulder surgery stemming from a January car crash. But Atlanta expected Rodriguez to be ready for spring training as recently as Friday morning, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, who notes that newfound concerns over his health helped lead to the team’s acquisition of second baseman Brandon Phillips (Twitter links). David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution classifies Rodriguez’s situation as “not good,” meanwhile, and backs up Rosenthal in reporting that he could sit out most or all of the season.

Now the latest from Boston:

  • Along with Eduardo Rodriguez, Red Sox hurlers Steven Wright and Drew Pomeranz are set to vie for the fifth spot in the club’s rotation this spring, but it could be at least a week before the latter two are ready to throw off a mound, manager John Farrell revealed Sunday (via Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald). Wright still hasn’t returned to full strength since suffering a right shoulder injury as a pinch-runner last August, while Pomeranz received a stem cell injection on his ailing left elbow in October. Rodriguez hurt his right knee in December, but he got a clean bill of health in a recent checkup, per Ian Browne of MLB.com.
  • On the offensive end, the Red Sox didn’t attempt to replace retired designated hitter David Ortiz with another big bat in the offseason. Farrell explained why Sunday, telling reporters – including Scott Lauber of ESPN.com – that the team didn’t want to make a long-term commitment to a right-handed-hitting veteran and block prospect Sam Travis. The Red Sox instead wanted a lefty-swinger, which led them to reel in Mitch Moreland on a one-year, $5.5MM deal. Moreland is no Ortiz, of course, but Farrell regards the longtime Ranger as an “ideal fit” for the Red Sox considering both his handedness and defensive prowess. Boston still feels it’ll have a high-end offense without Ortiz, so it prioritized upgrading its defense and went after Moreland.

Cafardo’s Latest: Ortiz, Buchholz, Pomeranz, Papelbon, Haren, Preller

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Here’s the latest from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:

  • The Red Sox are in reasonable position to welcome David Ortiz back to the fold if he chooses to delay retirement. Cafardo points out that there could be many factors getting in the way of an Ortiz return, like the fact that Ortiz retired in the first place, or that his return would have luxury tax ramifications for the club. But the team has avoided substantial commitments to players who might get in his way, and even Mitch Moreland, recently added on a one-year deal, might be more of a replacement for Travis Shaw’s work at first base than Ortiz’s at DH. And Ortiz, of course, recently penned a provocative Instgram post expressing excitement at the Red Sox’ acquisition of Chris Sale.
  • The Red Sox would prefer to trade Clay Buchholz, but they would generate more interest from other teams if they were to make Drew Pomeranz available instead, Cafardo writes. Buchholz is set to make $13.5MM next year, while Pomeranz will make about $4.7MM, as MLBTR projected. (I’d add that Pomeranz is also controllable through 2018, while Buchholz is not.) The medicals on both pitchers “probably aren’t that great,” a rival executive says. Buchholz missed time in 2015 with an elbow injury, and Pomeranz had a forearm issue last year.
  • It doesn’t sound like Jonathan Papelbon will pick a new team anytime soon. According to his agent, Seth Levinson, Papelbon is dealing with a family matter, and wants to be dedicated to that issue until it’s resolved. “We hope that people can respect his privacy during this time,” Levinson says.
  • The Diamondbacks recently added retired righty Dan Haren as a “pitching strategist,” but D’backs manager Torey Lovullo says not to expect Haren to be in the public eye. “I think he’s going to be somebody behind the scenes, and that’s by his choice,” Lovullo says. “He wants to just remain behind the scenes and help our pitchers be successful. I think he has an attachment to Arizona. … So I think there’s a good starting point for him to come in and come up with a game plan as to how to reach some of these guys and how to help them as quickly as possible.”
  • Rival front offices have been careful in making trades with Padres GM A.J. Preller, who recently served a 30-day suspension over a failure to disclose medical information. “I think it’s just human nature to keep your eyes open when dealing with him at least for a while,” says one executive.

Red Sox Sign Mitch Moreland

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The Red Sox have announced that they’ve signed first baseman Mitch Moreland to a one-year contract. FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal was first to tweet news of the deal. Moreland will receive $5.5MM, Rosenthal’s colleague Jon Morosi tweets. Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that the two sides were in talks. Moreland is represented by RMG Baseball.

"<strong[Related: Updated Boston Red Sox Depth Chart]

Moreland hit a disappointing .233/.298/.422 with 22 home runs in 2016 and has been inconsistent in his seven years in the big leagues, although his .278/.330/.482 season in 2015 shows what he’s capable of in a good year. He’s also a capable defender at first base, with a 6.4 UZR and 7 DRS there last season, and he’s capable of playing corner outfield in a pinch. The 31-year-old Moreland has hit .254/.315/.438 with 110 home runs in a big-league career spent entirely with the Rangers.

The deal caps what’s been a huge day for the Red Sox, who have also acquired Tyler Thornburg and, more notably, Chris Sale. Moreland should provide Boston with help at the first base and DH spots, likely in tandem with a right-handed hitter — he’s batted just .240/.275/.398 against lefties in his career. The Red Sox need help at DH following the retirement of David Ortiz, and Moreland would seem to be at least a hedge against the possibility that they’ll acquire a higher-profile player, like Edwin Encarnacion (who they seemed unlikely to sign anyway, in part due to luxury-tax concerns) or Mike Napoli. In fact, with Hanley Ramirez also in tow, Moreland’s signing but all but shut those doors. The team also recently lost Travis Shaw in the trade that brought Thornburg to Boston, and Moreland will replace some of the at-bats the lefty-swinging Shaw took at first base. It would appear, then, that the Red Sox are attempting to compensate for Ortiz’s departure by strengthening their rotation, rather than by adding a superstar to replace him at DH or first base.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Red Sox, Indians Reportedly Pursuing Mitch Moreland

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4:05pm: There is “strong buzz” at the Winter Meetings suggesting the Red Sox could sign Moreland, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN tweets.

10:27am: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that Boston is “strongly in the mix” for Moreland.

10:17am: The Red Sox are in on first baseman Mitch Moreland, tweets Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, who also notes that the Indians are in the mix for Moreland. The Rangers, according to Wilson, are “out” on Moreland, who has spent his entire career to date in a Rangers uniform. Moreland could be nearing a decision, Wilson further reports.

The 31-year-old Moreland had a big 2015 in Texas (.278/.330/.482) but slipped up in 2016, struggling to a .233/.298/.422 batting line in 503 plate appearances. Moreland would give either club a left-handed option at first base/designated hitter, but he’d need a platoon partner, as he’s a career .240/.295/.378 hitter against left-handed pitching. He has, however, hit at least 22 homers in each of his past three healthy seasons (an ankle injury limited him to 52 games in 2014).

Boston obviously has an opening at DH and has reportedly been averse to the idea of signing a designated hitter to a long-term deal. Moreland could present a shorter-term option. As for Cleveland, the reigning AL champions could lose Mike Napoli to free agency, and given Napoli’s reported preference for a lucrative three-year deal, Moreland could represent both a younger and more affordable option for Cleveland. The Indians have also been tied to Edwin Encarnacion, but it’s not clear exactly how high they’d be able to go in that pursuit. At the very least, it seems that president of baseball ops Chris Antonetti, GM Mike Chernoff and the rest of the Cleveland front office are exploring multiple avenues as they look to add some offense at first base/DH.

Rockies Interested In Encarnacion, Trumbo, Abreu, Carter, Moreland

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The Rockies are casting a wide net in their search for a first baseman, as GM Jeff Bridich said the team is considering a large array of options, MLB.com’s Thomas Harding writes.  The list includes such expensive free agents as Edwin Encarnacion and Mark Trumbo to more affordable open-market names like Chris Carter or Mitch Moreland.

Intriguingly, Harding also reports that the Rockies have been in contact with the White Sox about a possible trade for Jose Abreu.  Talks haven’t advanced beyond the preliminary stage, and sources tell Harding that the Sox want multiple prospects from Colorado in exchange for the Cuban slugger.

This is the first concrete link between Encarnacion and Colorado this winter, though since the longtime Blue Jays slugger had been reportedly been contacted by at least a couple of NL teams interested in him as a full-time first baseman, the Rockies were a logical candidate since they’re one of the few National League teams with a first base vacancy.  Colorado’s interest in Trumbo was initially reported over the weekend.

Signing Encarnacion or Trumbo would be an expensive endeavor for the Rockies, and either would cost the club the 11th overall pick in the 2017 draft, as both Encarnacion and Trumbo rejected qualifying offers.  Carter and Moreland would cost much less, likely just one-year contracts.  While neither of that duo carries Encarnacion or even Trumbo’s track record, it could be argued that Carter or Moreland could at least come close to replicating what the two higher-tier free agents could produce in Coors Field but at a fraction of the price and without any cost of a draft pick.

As Harding notes, the Rockies have shown past interest in both Trumbo and Abreu.  Dealing for the latter would be an interesting middle ground between the free agent choices, though it would come at a cost to the Rockies in both minor league talent and money.  Abreu recently opted into arbitration eligibility, so while Colorado would have him under control for three more years, the first baseman would come with a significant price tag.

Abreu has delivered very good numbers in his first three MLB seasons, delivering a .299/.360/.515 slash line and 91 homers over 1985 big league plate appearances.  His last two years weren’t as impressive as his breakout Rookie Of The Year campaign in 2014, however, and Abreu has experienced declines in his home run and hard-hit ball rates.

The Rockies are also known to still be considering a reunion with Mark Reynolds.  Since the team is being so comprehensive in its search, Harding figures that names like Mike Napoli, Adam Lind, Logan Morrison and perhaps any available first basemen are also under consideration.

Rangers Showing Interest In Soler, Trumbo, Gomez

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4:05pm: The Rangers are also interested in trading for Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan reports (via Twitter).  Soler has become something of a forgotten man in a crowded Cubs outfield, though he is still just 24 and under contract through 2020.

3:22pm: The Rangers are showing some interest in Mark Trumbo, tweets Yahoo’s Jeff Passan, but it’s not clear exactly how strong the interest is. Texas is looking for a right-handed bat, though, he notes. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, meanwhile, tweets that he believes Carlos Gomez is the Rangers’ “preferred plug-and-play” option in center field, but the length of the contract he’s seeking plays a role in the team’s interest. Per Grant, the matter may come down to whether Gomez is willing to take a two-year deal right now or if he wants to seek a three-year deal elsewhere (and perhaps see if Texas is willing to match that offer, if he does find it).

Trumbo’s asking price is reportedly considerably steeper than the Gomez price implied by Grant, as Trumbo is said to have countered an offer of $52-55MM over four years from the Orioles with a $75-80MM asking price. The Orioles balked at that lofty ask and, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, are prepared to move on from Trumbo and pursue other options. It’s tough to envision the Rangers (or any club), topping $70MM for Trumbo this offseason.

It seems clear that Texas GM Jon Daniels and his staff are looking around at right-handed bats, as they’ve also been connected to Andrew McCutchen in trade talks. However, it doesn’t appear that they’re 100 percent closed off to signing a left-handed hitter, as Grant tweeted this morning that they’ve maintained contact with Mitch Moreland. However, things will only work with Moreland if he’s willing to wait around for a bit while the Rangers explore some other priorities.

Indians Interested In Several FA First Basemen; Jays In On Mitch Moreland

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10:48pm: Moreland has “emerged as a real possibility” for the Blue Jays, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi reports, which could lessen the chances of Edwin Encarnacion returning to Toronto.

9:47am: The Indians remain interested in re-signing free agent first baseman/designated hitter Mike Napoli, per MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, who tweets that Chris Carter, Mitch Moreland and Adam Lind are also on the team’s radar.

Napoli was a key member of the American League champions’ offense in 2016, as he hit .239/.335/.465 with 34 home runs in 645 plate appearances. The 35-year-old did that on a palatable $7MM salary, but given the wide interest in him across the majors, a raise is likely. While Napoli is reportedly seeking a three-year deal, the Indians once again want to give him a one-year pact.

As a powerful, high-strikeout, right-handed hitter who provides negative defensive and baserunning value, Carter is quite similar to Napoli. Carter’s also younger (he’ll turn 30 next week) and, on the heels of the Brewers cutting him in lieu of paying him an estimated $8.1MM salary, could come at a cheaper cost than Napoli. Carter’s production last season in Milwaukee was right in line with Napoli’s, as he slashed .222/.321/.499 and amassed a National League-high 41 homers in 644 trips to the plate. He also struck out in 32 percent of PAs and walked at an 11.8 percent clip, while Napoli was at 30.1 and 12.1 in those categories.

Both Moreland and Lind are left-handed hitters, and each was decidedly less impressive than Napoli and Carter in 2016. Moreland, 31, did hit 20-plus home runs for the third straight season (22, to be exact), but the longtime Ranger posted a below-average batting line (.233/.298/.422 in 503 PAs) for the third time in the past four years. The Blue Jays are also in the mix for Moreland’s services, according to Morosi (Twitter link), even though Toronto already has multiple first base/DH types in Kendrys Morales and Justin Smoak.

While Lind had typically been a capable offensive piece entering last season, that wasn’t the case in his only year with the Mariners. Like Moreland, Lind hit the 20-HR mark for the third consecutive season. The 33-year-old nonetheless underwhelmed, though, with a .239/.286/.431 output in 420 PAs.

Adding any of these players would give the Indians the opportunity to continue shifting Carlos Santana between DH and first base in 2017. The seven-year veteran saw more time at DH than first (92 games to 64) last season, which hadn’t happened since 2013.

Free Agent/Trade Rumblings: Beltran, McCutchen, Guerra, Moreland

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Quite a bit of competition is lining up for Carlos Beltran, who is now being pursued by both the Red Sox and Yankees, as Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald writes. The Blue Jays, too, have reached out, and the Astros seemingly remain a possibility, providing yet more evidence that multiple organizations currently have more interest in a limited commitment to Beltran than they do a lengthier pact with Edwin Encarnacion. While Toronto’s addition of Kendrys Morales has started the movement on sluggers, there are a wide variety still available, and it promises to remain an area of intrigue for much of the offseason.

A few more late-night notes from around the league…

  • Pirates skipper Clint Hurdle certainly didn’t sound like he’s convinced center fielder Andrew McCutchen will remain with the organization when the 2017 season begins, as Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports. “I’ll take it one day at a time,” said Hurdle when asked about the possibility of a McCutchen trade. “I think any general manager that’s in a market similar to the one we’re in has to explore the possibility of (trading) players who have one or two years left on their contracts. You have to see what value is there to keep or to move.” While McCutchen is hopeful of spending his career in Pittsburgh, Biertempfel writes that the Pirates haven’t approached him about extending his current six-year, $51.5MM contract, which has one more guaranteed year (2017) and an affordable club option (2018).
  • The Brewers are getting trade inquiries on right-hander Junior Guerra, reports Jon Morosi of the MLB Network (via Twitter). That Milwaukee would receive interest isn’t necessarily a shock, given Guerra’s controllable nature and the strong debut season he had in Milwaukee. It’ll be interesting to see if further reports emerge about GM David Stearns seriously entertaining offers on Guerra, whose 2016 success was certainly unique in nature. This past year marked Guerra’s rookie season, but unlike most first-year success stories, Guerra is a 31-year-old (32 in January) that was plucked off waivers by Stearns last offseason and enjoyed a terrific but somewhat out-of-the-blue debut. The former Braves, Mets and White Sox farmhand made 20 starts for Milwaukee and quietly pitched to a 2.81 ERA with 7.4 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 45.3 percent ground-ball rate while averaging a tick over 93 mph on his fastball. Guerra still holds tremendous appeal for the the 2017 season, but it seems likely that the Brewers will at least listen to offers on him, as Milwaukee may not contend until 2018 or even 2019, at which point Guerra will be in his age-33 or age-34 season.
  • First baseman Mitch Moreland is a free agent for the first time in his career, but he said in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM yesterday (Twitter link) that if things go his way, he’d be back with the Rangers in 2017 and beyond. “Texas would be my first choice,” said the 31-year-old. “I love it there.” Whether the Rangers reciprocate that interest isn’t yet known, but the team does have a need at first base and DH with Moreland hitting the open market and Prince Fielder’s sudden retirement. Texas does have the option of letting the much-ballyhooed Joey Gallo take some of those at-bats in 2017, though there have been indications that the organization feels he’d benefit from opening next year in the minors. Texas has presently been focused on other matters and is reportedly on the verge of completing a one-year deal with righty Andrew Cashner. Moreland, meanwhile, turned in another 20-homer season in 2016 but saw his OBP dip as well. Overall, he hit .233/.298/.422 with 22 big flies in 503 trips to the plate.

Players That Have Cleared Revocable Waivers

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The first three two and a half weeks of August yielded only a few minor trades, featuring pickups by the Mariners (Arquimedes Caminero and Pat Venditte), a swap of veteran infielders (Erick Aybar and Mike Aviles) and the Marlins adding some left-handed depth to their ’pen (Hunter Cervenka). Since that time, several names have changed hands, though, including Carlos Ruiz, A.J. Ellis, Dioner Navarro, Jeff Francoeur, Daniel Nava, Marc Rzepczynski and Erick Aybar. A trade sending veteran outfielder Coco Crisp to the Indians should be announced on Wednesday as well.

Before diving into the names, a few items bear repeating. The majority of Major League players will be placed on trade waivers this month, with most instances going unreported. There are undoubtedly players (quite a few of them, most likely) who have already cleared waivers but have not been reported to have done so. Players can be traded into September, as well, but only those traded on or before Aug. 31 will be eligible for the postseason with their new teams, so there’s some urgency for contending clubs to complete deals by month’s end. And, of course, for those who aren’t familiar with the inner-workings of waiver trades, MLBTR published a full explanation of how August trades work earlier this month. Onto the known names…

  • Ryan Braun (link): Although Braun has slashed an excellent .315/.377/.551 with 24 homers and 14 steals through 454 plate appearances this season, his pricey contract enabled him to slip through waivers. Braun, 32, is owed $76MM through 2021, and any team acquiring him would likely need Milwaukee to pick up a sizable chunk of his contract, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. That doesn’t seem to bode well for the possibility of a trade this month.
  • Ervin Santana (link): Santana, 33, is due $13.5MM per year through 2018, which makes him a fairly expensive investment, but he’s in the midst of another fine season. The righty has been among the few bright spots for the last-place Twins, having recorded a 3.54 ERA, 6.9 K/9 and 2.38 BB/9 in 147 1/3 innings. Given that he cleared waivers, the Twins might have to eat some of Santana’s contract if they wish to move him for a decent return. However, Minnesota reportedly needed to be “overwhelmed” to deal Santana in July, and it’s doubtful their bullish opinion of him has changed since then.
  • Ryan Howard (link): It seems as if any possibility of a Howard trade has gone out the window with his time with the Phillies drawing to an increasingly pleasant end. But he does still deliver more pure power than most hitters — albeit almost exclusively against righties — with 19 long balls in less than half a season worth of plate appearances.
  • Matt Wieters (link): Not only is Wieters expensive ($15.8MM salary this year), but he’s also underperforming both offensively and defensively. Thus, with fellow backstops Kurt Suzuki and Brian McCann having already cleared waivers, it’s no surprise that Wieters did, too. Regardless of his struggles, Wieters is the starting catcher for a playoff contender with no better in-house option in place, making a trade involving the impending free agent all the more unlikely.
  • Scott Kazmir (link): Kazmir is owed $16MM in each of the next two seasons, but he has the ability to opt out of his deal after this year. Kazmir’s run prevention (4.41 ERA) has been a letdown in 132 2/3 innings this season, although he has recorded an outstanding K/9 (9.02) to go with a 3.32 BB/9 and a superb 15.2 percent infield fly rate. The positives weren’t enough for anyone to claim Kazmir, though, and it’s doubtful the injury-riddled Dodgers will move out a healthy starter in the middle of a playoff race.
  • James Shields (link): The right-hander was previously a high-end option that every team would’ve loved to slot into its rotation. At 34, he’s now pitching like a DFA candidate. The White Sox, who acquired Shields from the Padres earlier this year, owe him $10MM per season through 2018. Thanks largely to a plummeting strikeout rate and a propensity for allowing HRs, Shields has run up a 7.62 ERA in 69 2/3 innings with Chicago. Overall, he has a 5.98 ERA in 137 frames this year. While Shields is on track for a 10th straight 30-start season, there’s no point in trading for someone who isn’t at least keeping his team in games every fifth day.
  • Nick Markakis (link): The negatives seem to outweigh the positives with Markakis, who’s on a $10.5MM salary through 2018 and doesn’t bring the offensive value to the table that he used to. Since leaving Baltimore for Atlanta last year, the right fielder has hit .285/.360/.384 with a mere 12 HRs in 1,200-plus plate trips. The average and on-base percentage are clearly pluses. Fact is, though, a corner outfielder who has little power, doesn’t grade well defensively and isn’t all that cheap isn’t too appealing.
  • Mitch Moreland (link): Moreland is amid his third straight 20-homer season and isn’t overly expensive ($5.7MM salary) in the last year of his contract, so it wouldn’t have been shocking had someone claimed him. Instead, the lifetime .251/.316/.481 hitter got through waivers and looks likely to remain with World Series-contending Texas for the rest of the season.
  • Matt Kemp (link): Once an MVP-level player, the 31-year-old Kemp has fallen off thanks to defensive issues and a decline at the plate. As a roughly league-average hitter on a $21.5MM salary through 2019, he was fully expected to go unclaimed had the Braves placed him on waivers. They did, and that’s exactly what happened. Atlanta’s on the hook for $18MM per year of Kemp’s money for the duration of his contract. The Padres, his previous team, make up the difference. For any deal to happen, the Braves would likely have to eat a hefty portion of that cash.
  • Joakim Soria (link): The 32-year-old Soria has become increasingly homer prone and displaying some concerning control issues in 2016, so it’s not surprising that no team risked claiming the remaining $19.72MM that he is owed through the completion of the 2018 season. Soria’s 92.8 mph average fastball is actually a career-high, and his strikeouts and ground-ball rate both remain sound, so perhaps he could be moved if Kansas City were to eat some of the remainder on that deal.
  • Eric O’Flaherty (link): Once a powerhouse out of the Braves’ bullpen, O’Flaherty’s second stint with Atlanta hasn’t gone nearly as well. He’s never fully regained his form after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2013, and his ERA in 2016 rested just shy of 7.00 when word of his clearing waivers broke. His $1.75MM salary wouldn’t be prohibitive were he pitching well, but even opposing lefties have roughed up O’Flaherty this season, and he’s been positively obliterated by right-handed opponents.
  • Kurt Suzuki (link): The Twins’ catcher was reported to have cleared waivers just yesterday. Unlike a number of players that clear waivers in the month of August, Suzuki is relatively affordable, making it something of a surprise that no teams placed a claim on him. While he’s not regarded as a highly skilled defensive backstop, he’s hitting .281/.321/.431, which is quite a step up from the league-average catcher (.242/.311/.380). He doesn’t walk much, but he’s also very tough to strike out (12.9%), and he was owed just $1.54MM through season’s end when he reportedly cleared on Aug. 16.
  • Brian McCann (link): It’s no surprise that McCann cleared waivers, as he’s owed a hefty $34MM beyond the 2016 campaign. McCann’s offensive production has wilted a bit in recent weeks, and while his .232/.333/.404 batting line and 15 homers are still solid marks for a catcher, it’s tough to imagine the Yankees moving him without absorbing a fair amount of the money that remains on his contract. Also standing in the way of a potential deal is the fact that teams looking for catching help beyond this year have a fair number of choices on the upcoming free agent market.

One final note: outfielder Jeff Francoeur (link) and catcher Carlos Ruiz (link) were both reported to have cleared waivers as well, but each has already been traded to a new team, with Francoeur going to the Marlins and Ruiz going to the Dodgers.

Cafardo’s Latest: Moreland, Leon, Red Sox, Gomez, Puig

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The latest news and notes from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe…

  • The Astros have a lot of interest in Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland, though Cafardo doubts a trade is likely given Texas’ lack of first base depth in the wake of Prince Fielder’s retirement.  (It would also be very unusual to see a trade between two division rivals in a pennant race, even if Houston has fallen well behind Texas in the AL West.)  The Astros already have a left-handed hitting first baseman in rookie A.J. Reed, though Reed is still a work in progress despite some improved hitting over the last couple of weeks.  While it doesn’t seem like Texas would deal Moreland, he has cleared trade waivers, so he can freely moved to any other club.
  • The Nationals’ trade of Sandy Leon to the Red Sox for cash considerations in March 2015 drew little attention at the time, though it has become an unexpectedly important deal given how Leon has blossomed in Boston.  Leon entered the day with a stunning 1.088 OPS over 158 plate appearances this season, completely dwarfing anything he’d done at the major or minor league levels.  “I personally signed Sandy Leon when he was 16½ years old…My name is on that one,” Nats GM Mike Rizzo said.  “He was a good catch-and-throw kid, and what a kid.  He’s one of the greatest young men I’ve ever been around.  I’m so happy he’s doing well especially offensively, but I never saw it coming.”
  • The Red Sox could fill David Ortiz’s big shoes by DH at pursuing free agents Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, Carlos Beltran, Mike Napoli or Mark Trumbo this winter, as Cafardo feels the team will look for an external solution.  The simplest move would be to move Hanley Ramirez to DH, though that leaves both corner infield spots up in the air given the uncertainty around Pablo Sandoval’s weight, Travis Shaw’s ability to play every day and the development of prospects Yoan Moncada and Sam Travis.
  • Carlos Gomez drew interest from several teams before signing with the Rangers, with Cafardo adding the Indians and Blue Jays to the list of clubs already known to have been looking at the veteran outfielder.  Gomez likely would’ve served as platoon partner for Tyler Naquin in center for the Tribe, though despite Michael Brantley missing virtually the entire season, Cleveland’s outfield has actually been pretty solid thanks to unexpected contributions from Naquin, Rajai Davis and (when he hasn’t been at third) Jose Ramirez.  Gomez could’ve filled in the Jays outfield while Bautista and Kevin Pillar are on the DL, though his role would’ve been rather unclear once both returned.
  • Yasiel Puig “is considered toxic at the moment” and it seems unlikely that another team will take him off the Dodgers’ hands.  One Dodgers official isn’t entirely closing the door on Puig remaining in L.A., saying “At some point, the talent, the maturity is going to take hold.  Someone will benefit from it.  We hope it’s us, but it’s hard to envision it right now.”
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