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Free Agent Rumors: Hill, Dodgers, Napoli, Logan, Braves, Hwang

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There’s a flurry of offseason rumors flying about Twitter in the early stages of free agency and with the General Managers Meetings taking place in Arizona at the moment. Much of the talk is preliminary at this juncture, and many of the names connected to teams in the early-going won’t ultimately be targets in the long run. That said, the GM Meetings can certainly provide a forum to lay the groundwork for future free-agent deals and trades, and we even see the occasional big-name signing there (as was the case with Victor Martinez re-signing with the Tigers prior to the 2015 season). Here’s a rundown of all the latest free-agent chatter…

  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman told reporters that he plans to reach out to the representatives for free agent left-hander Rich Hill (Twitter link via NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty). Cashman stressed that he’s planning to meet with the reps for a large number of free agents, but the Yankees have been an oft-speculated landing spot for Hill, who seems likely to cash in on a significant free agent deal this winter less than 18 months removed from a stint pitching for the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League. MLBTR ranked Hill 14th among free agents and pegged him for a three-year, $50MM deal.
  • The Dodgers will also be in the mix for Hill, tweets Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times, and they’re having dialogue with his representatives as well as those for free agents Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner. The Dodgers already made qualifying offers to both Jansen and Turner, though it’s a no-brainer for each to reject in search of a more lucrative deal. It’d be somewhat of a surprise if the Dodgers let all three of their big-name free agents sign elsewhere this winter, although re-signing all three doesn’t seem to be an especially likely outcome, either.
  • Mike Napoli is drawing early interest from the Mariners, tweets Jon Morosi of the MLB Network. As Morosi points out, Napoli has a good history with Seattle manager Scott Servais dating back to his Rangers days. Napoli would be a logical fit for the M’s, who project to have the unproven Dan Vogelbach as their starting first baseman next year. However, the possibility of an eventual timeshare situation developing between the two may not be palatable from Napoli’s vantage point, I wouldn’t think. And it would seem strange for the Mariners to part with a controllable lefty like Mike Montgomery to acquire Vogelbach only to block him a few months later by giving Napoli the everyday first base gig.
  • Morosi also tweets that left-hander Boone Logan is generating some early interest, and FanRag’s Jon Heyman hears the same. Morosi notes that the Blue Jays and Giants both had interest in Logan at the non-waiver trade deadline this summer, though the Rockies elected not to trade him. Toronto, in particular, could probably use some left-handed relief help, as it was an area of weakness for them for much of the 2016 and they now stand to lose Brett Cecil to the open market. The 32-year-old Logan is probably best deployed as a lefty specialist, which may limit his market a bit, but he excels in that area. Logan held lefties to a putrid .142/.222/.255 slash in 2016 and a .225/.349/.254 slash in 2015.
  • MLB.com’s Mark Bowman writes that if the Braves are to sign a new catcher this winter, the likeliest targets are Jason Castro and Nick Hundley. Bowman tabs Wilson Ramos as a long shot and says he’d only land in Atlanta if his asking price declined significantly. Also per Bowman, Atlanta has never seemed all that interested in pursuing former Georgia Tech star Matt Wieters. Castro would give the Braves another strong defender and a left-handed bat to complement the right-handed bat of Tyler Flowers. Hundley, meanwhile, would be more of an offensive-minded backstop for the Braves.
  • Korean third-baseman Jae-gyun Hwang will host a showcase for interested teams in Florida on Nov. 21, tweets Morosi. The 29-year-old didn’t draw a bid when posted last offseason but delivered another very strong season in the KBO this year. Hwang hit a career-best 27 homers and posted a .335/.394/.570 line with dramatically improved K/BB numbers in 2016 and could be a relatively low-cost option at the hot corner this winter.

Marlins Looking To Acquire Starting Pitching

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The Marlins’ main objective is to upgrade their rotation during the offseason, but their limited budget will likely prevent them from chasing either of the best impending free agent starters, Rich Hill or Jeremy Hellickson, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

The upcoming free agent market is largely devoid of quality starters, which means the Marlins could go the trade route to bolster their rotation. The team doesn’t plan to shop its two best outfielders – Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich – or catcher J.T. Realmuto in an attempt to acquire pitching, though it’s willing to listen to potential offers for outfielder Marcell Ozuna, second baseman Dee Gordon, shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria and utilityman Derek Dietrich, Jackson reports.

In the wake of former ace Jose Fernandez’s tragic death last month, the Marlins are down to Adam Conley, Wei-Yin Chen and Tom Koehler as their top starters heading into the winter. That’s an uninspiring trio on paper, but president of baseball operations Michael Hill believes Conley possesses “top of the rotation talent.” Since debuting in 2015, the 26-year-old has posted a 3.82 ERA, 8.22 K/9 and 3.73 BB/9 in 200 1/3 innings. The Marlins are also optimistic about Chen, who was a letdown this season after signing a five-year, $80MM deal with them last winter. Chen recorded the best K-BB percentage of his career (14.6), but he logged a bloated 4.96 ERA – up from a personal-best 3.34 with Baltimore in 2015. The 31-year-old also totaled just 123 1/3 innings because of an elbow injury that kept him out from late July until the end of September.

Three of the Marlins’ four potential trade chips (Ozuna, Hechavarria and Dietrich) are on track to receive raises via arbitration during the winter, while Gordon is controllable through 2021 on the five-year, $50MM extension he signed last January. The speedy Gordon inked that deal off two straight terrific seasons, but his value has since taken hits from an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs and a stark decline in offensive production in the 79 contests he played this year.

Ozuna, who MLBTR projects will net $4.5MM in his first of three potential arbitration trips, was also on the block last offseason. The Mariners, Rangers and Reds were among the teams in on Ozuna, who was coming off a subpar season that included a demotion to Triple-A New Orleans. That 33-game minor league stint drew the ire of both Ozuna and agent Scott Boras, but in spite of the bad blood between them and the Marlins, no trade materialized. Ozuna then slashed .266/.321/.452 with 23 home runs in 608 plate appearances in a bounce-back 2016, which could put the soon-to-be 26-year-old on the radar of outfielder-needy teams. Ozuna has typically fared better in right field than center, where he ranked toward the bottom of the majors in Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating this year.

While Hechavarria has been among the league’s premier defensive shortstops since last season, his below-average offense cratered this year (.238/.283/.311 in 547 PAs) and somewhat cancelled out his fielding prowess. MLBTR’s arbitration forecast for Hechavarria calls for a $3.7MM salary in 2017, which will be his penultimate year of club control. The fact that there are no starting-caliber shortstops set to hit the free agent market could help the Marlins’ cause if they shop him, though it’s certainly poor timing for them that Hechavarria had such a dreadful season at the plate.

Dietrich is in his first of four arbitration years, and he should make in the eminently affordable $1.8MM neighborhood in 2017. The 27-year-old spent time at first, second and third base this season, with the vast majority of his work coming at the keystone as a result of Gordon’s suspension. Dietrich also has experience in left field, but unless the Marlins deal Ozuna or Gordon, playing time could be difficult to come by for him in Miami. In addition to Gordon at second, the Marlins already have Justin Bour and Martin Prado locked in as their starting first and third basemen, thus limiting Dietrich to a bench role if the team’s lineup remains intact. Nevertheless, the Marlins regard Dietrich as someone who’s capable of starting, Jackson writes, and he made his case this season with a .279/.374/.425 line in 412 trips to the plate.

If the Marlins aren’t able to pick up a pair of starting pitchers from outside the organization during the offseason, swingman David Phelps could end up in the rotation next season, Hill told Jackson. Phelps, who was outstanding as both a reliever and starter this year, has made 64 starts with the Yankees and Marlins since cracking the major leagues in 2012. The Marlins also have Justin Nicolino and Jose Urena on hand as somewhat experienced options, but neither has been effective in the big leagues.

Quick Hits: Francona, Maddon, BoSox, A’s, Tigers

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The decision the Red Sox made in 2003 to hire Terry Francona over Joe Maddon as their manager has worked out for all parties, writes Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. The Red Sox won two World Series and 574 regular-season games under Francona from 2004-11, while Maddon ended up with the Rays a couple years later and established himself as one of baseball’s top managers. Now, after several seasons of squaring off as AL East rivals, Francona (Indians) and Maddon (Cubs) will meet in this year’s World Series. On losing out to Francona for the Boston job, Maddon told Silverman, “I thought Tito was more prepared for that moment than I was at that time and I’ll stand by that. I got the right job at the right time with Tampa Bay. Tito was the right guy back then. But the experience for me was fantastic moving forward.” Theo Epstein, the executive who picked Francona in Boston, also hired Maddon in Chicago. Epstein explained his call to pass on Maddon 13 years ago, telling Silverman, “In the end, we loved him but we thought taking over a veteran team in a big market, there would have been some risk involved because he’s so unique. I think it worked out best for both sides. He could go to Tampa, which was really like a petri dish at that time, he could try things out, grow into it with young players and obviously blossom.”

More from around the majors:

  • Given that the Dodgers were still in the postseason Saturday, left-hander Rich Hill was unwilling to discuss free agency or a potential return to Boston, but the late bloomer did give credit to the Red Sox for his shocking breakout. “Whether it was with (director of pitching analysis and development) Brian Bannister or (pitching coach) Carl Willis. Just the combination of those two guys,” he told Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald. “And also, just the overall opportunity that I did get there, I’ll never forget. Definitely translated over and started something for me that gave me a blueprint on moving forward.” Hill, of course, had a stint in the independent Atlantic League last summer. He then joined the Red Sox, turned in four excellent starts in September and inked a $6MM deal with Oakland last offseason. After continuing to post ace-like numbers with the Athletics and Dodgers this season, the 36-year-old journeyman will earn a substantial raise as the top starter available on the upcoming market.
  • Speaking of the Athletics’ pitching staff, general manager David Forst told Joe Stiglich of CSNBayArea.com that the team will pursue starters during the offseason. Acquiring more rotation candidates would add to a group that currently includes Sonny Gray, Sean Manaea, Kendall Graveman, Jharel Cotton, Andrew Triggs, Daniel Mengden and Arizona Fall League standout Frankie Montas. The leader of the staff, Gray, had a nightmarish 2016, but Forst expects him to bounce back. “Am I going to get the Cy Young (caliber pitcher) from Day 1? I don’t know,” Forst said. “But I think there’s a confidence that this was an aberration, this whole year, more than anything else.”
  • The Tigers are on a mission to shed payroll and get younger, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of right-hander Justin Verlander or second baseman Ian Kinsler, opines Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. While the Tigers don’t aim to rebuild, Fenech argues that they won’t be able to contend without those two. Dealing the soon-to-be 34-year-old Verlander would remove a Cy Young contender from Detroit’s rotation, though it would simultaneously free the team of some or all of an $84MM commitment through 2019. Like Verlander, Kinsler also had a stellar 2016 campaign, but the 34-year-old is due a far more palatable $21MM over the next two seasons.

Cafardo’s Latest: Hart, Melancon, Hill, DiSarcina

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In his latest notes column for the Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo looks at the remarkable list of front office talent incubated by John Hart during his stint as the Indians’ general manager from 1989-2001.  Such names as Chris Antonetti, Mark Shapiro, Neal Huntington, Ben Cherington, Paul DePodesta, Josh Byrnes and Dan O’Dowd worked together in the Cleveland front office and went on to run their own front offices as general managers, baseball operations heads and/or club presidents.  Of course, those executives all developed their own notable staffers, to the point that Hart’s front office tree extends to virtually every team in the sport.  Here’s some more from Cafardo’s column…

  • Mark Melancon will draw a lot of interest in free agency this winter, both as a closer and potentially, Cafardo opines, as an Andrew Miller-style hybrid reliever.  Melancon could be willing to accept such a role if he still gets paid like a top-flight closer, and Cafardo thinks firemen could eventually surpass closers as the highest-paid members of a bullpen.  “Don’t kid yourself, one reason Miller accepts his role is because he earns closer money,” Cafardo writes.
  • “The Nationals are expected to go hard” for Melancon, Cafardo reports, which isn’t a surprise given how well he pitched for Washington after he was acquired at the trade deadline.
  • Major League sources often cite a three-year/$45MM contract for Rich Hill in free agency this winter, and Hill could even get more the better he pitches during the Dodgers’ postseason run.  Last month, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes outlined five reasons why he is predicting Hill to receive at least $45MM, despite Hill’s age and injury history.
  • Angels first base coach Gary DiSarcina could be a candidate for two jobs with other clubs, based on his past experience working in the Red Sox front office and managing their A-ball and Triple-A affiliates.  Cafardo suggests that Mike Hazen (the former Red Sox GM and newly-hired Diamondbacks GM) could consider DiSarcina as the new D’Backs manager.  Boston bench coach Torey Lovullo has been rumored to be a top contender for the Arizona job, so if he indeed leaves, Cafardo wonders if DiSarcina could return to Fenway for a job on John Farrell’s staff.

West Notes: Hill, Dodgers, Baldoquin, Rangers’ Park, Rockies Catchers

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Dodgers lefty Rich Hill is one of the more unique players we’ll ever see, and it’s his unfathomable transactional path that makes his current performance all the more amazing. SB Nation’s Grant Brisbee pens an interesting piece in honor of a hurler whose success nobody saw coming when he was suiting up for the Long Island Ducks last year. Hill just carved up the Cubs last night in game three of the NLCS, striking out six and allowing two hits and no runs over a half-dozen frames. That outing bolsters an already-intriguing free agent resume for the 36-year-old.

Here’s more from out west:

  • The Dodgers represent a unique compilation of talent, ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark writes. Los Angeles managed to cover for an unbelievable number of injuries — though, to be fair, at least some were anticipated given the team’s risky investments (Hill included) — and still managed to take the NL West. Despite near-constant change in the major league roster and its in-game deployment, the club has thrived and seemingly hit its stride at the right time.
  • Across town, the Angels are holding out at least some hope for infielder Roberto Baldoquin despite two forgettable campaigns, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register writes. Injuries have kept him off the field and limited his developmental opportunities, though Fletcher notes that conditioning may be partially to blame. Certainly, what the team has seen hasn’t been promising. The 22-year-old, who signed on for an $8MM bonus that nearly doubled with penalties and restricted the organization’s international spending, has stalled out at High-A with a composite .219/.269/.267 batting line over the last two years. But the Halos developmental staff says that Baldoquin works hard, with coaches suggesting that he has at least shown enough in the field to warrant the continued investment of resources into his future.
  • While the Rangers and the City of Arlington have maintained that the costs of their new stadium project will be split evenly, WFAA-TV has found several factors which significantly complicate that characterization. Following up on a prior report that suggests tax revenues may be diverted to the team, shifting the burden away from the Rangers and onto the city’s taxpayers, the most recent report outlines other significant ways in which anticipated revenue will flow to the club’s coffers. Stadium naming rights and seat licenses — both highly valuable commodities — would flow to the club despite the fact that the city is set to own the ballpark itself. In the aggregate, the news station assesses the split in real costs at about $1.675 billion for the city (including interest on a bond issue to fund it) versus $500MM for the team. These revelations, which are disputed by Arlington mayor Jeff Williams, come as voting polls show a tight split in opinion on the upcoming referendum. (For opposing viewpoints, see here and here for just a few examples.)
  • One major question for the Rockies this winter is how to handle the catching position, as Thomas Harding of MLB.com covers in response to a reader question. Colorado does see improvement in the glovework of Tom Murphy, but at present there’s a gulf between his pitch framing ability and that of incumbent part-timer Tony Wolters. Of course, free agent-to-be Nick Hundley does not excel in that area either, which perhaps suggests the team will be willing to move on from him this winter.

NL Notes: Pirates, Melancon, Dodgers, Cardinals

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Given the dearth of quality starting pitchers set to hit free agency during the offseason, it might make sense for the Pirates to use their money on bullpen upgrades if they’re unable to re-sign Ivan Nova, writes Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The Pirates and Nova have engaged in extension talks, but the 29-year-old’s late-season breakout could price him out of the team’s range. If so, Sawchik suggests a reunion with soon-to-be free agent closer Mark Melancon, whom the Bucs traded to the Nationals at this year’s non-waiver trade deadline. As a 31-year-old who lacks eye-popping strikeout numbers, Melancon is likely to garner the cheapest contract among fellow impending free agent bullpen aces Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman. Melancon made his return to Pittsburgh on Friday as a visitor and received an ovation from its fans, though he suffered his first blown save as a National in a 6-5 loss.

More from the National League:

  • The blister on Rich Hill’s left index finger continues to pose a problem, so the Dodgers will scratch him from his Sunday start against the Rockies in favor of the returning Brandon McCarthy, who has been on the disabled list with right hip stiffness since Aug. 14. Hill’s next start is set for Oct. 1, the Dodgers’ penultimate regular-season game of the year, in San Francisco. “We’ve put ourselves in the position that we have the flexibility, or luxury, to do this,” said manager Dave Roberts (via Jack Baer of MLB.com). “With the blister and how we’ve had to manage it since the trade, I think this gives him the best chance going forward to go deeper in a game.” The 88-66 Dodgers hold a seven-game lead in the NL West over the Giants and are on the verge of clinching the division. That affords them the opportunity to take it easy with Hill, who figures to serve as a key member of their playoff rotation.
  • Another Dodgers starter, southpaw Scott Kazmir, might not make a start again this year, Roberts revealed Saturday. Kazmir returned Friday from a bout with thoracic spine inflammation to make his first start since Aug. 22, but he exited after one inning because of right intercostal spasms. The current campaign hasn’t gone according to plan for Kazmir, who’s in the first season of a three-year, $48MM deal he inked with Los Angeles as a free agent last winter. While Kazmir can opt out of his contract after the season, his disappointing results and injury troubles might prevent him from taking that route. In 136 1/3 innings, Kazmir has posted a 4.56 ERA, 8.85 K/9 and 3.43 BB/9.
  • After Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday’s injured right thumb swelled up last week, there was concern that the 36-year-old’s season was over. In the latest update, the Cardinals cancelled the live batting practice they had scheduled for Holliday on Sunday because of further discomfort, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The next step for Holliday is a previously scheduled appointment with a hand specialist Monday. If that goes well, Holliday could return during the upcoming week. He has been out of action since Aug. 11.

5 Reasons Rich Hill Will Get $45MM+ In Free Agency

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I believe Rich Hill will land a three-year contract worth $45MM or more in free agency this winter.  A year ago, that would’ve seemed insane.  Today marks the one-year anniversary of Hill’s return to a Major League starting rotation after a five-year hiatus.  That September spot start for the Red Sox turned into four, which led to a one-year, $6MM free agent deal from the Athletics in November.  Hill’s success continued this season, albeit with significant time missed due to injuries.  The lefty’s season culminated with seven perfect innings for the Dodgers against the Marlins Saturday night, though it’s not over yet.  Here’s why I believe Hill will get $45MM or more this winter.

  1.  His performance has been otherworldly.  Over the last year, Hill has authored 124 innings of 1.74 ball – the best in baseball over that period.  Hill has ridden his knee-buckling curveball to strike out more than 30% of batters faced (10.6 K/9) during that time.  Even if you just look at pure, total value, Hill ranks 14th with 4.6 wins above replacement.  Hill’s last 124 innings were worth roughly the same as Johnny Cueto’s last 229 2/3 frames.  Hill has pitched 95 innings this year, and FanGraphs values his performance at $28MM.
  2. His age won’t stop him from getting three years.  Hill will turn 37 in March.  Three-year free agent deals are rare at that age, because teams are wary of injuries and decline.  However, I expect Hill to get three years for the same reason Carlos Beltran did in his last contract: it’s the cost of doing business.  If demand is strong enough for Hill’s services, teams will simply have to make three-year offers to have a chance to sign him, even if they don’t expect the contract to end well.  Hill can also make the argument that he will age well, since he’s not reliant on fastball velocity and has less mileage on his arm than a typical pitcher his age.
  3.  His injury history won’t stop him from getting three years.  Rich Hill has an extensive injury history dating back to 2008.  He endured shoulder and elbow surgery in his career, and he’s missed 79 days this season due to a groin injury and blisters on his throwing hand.  I still think he can get a three-year deal, for the same “cost of doing business” reason stated above.  It’s why Scott Kazmir got three years and Brandon McCarthy got four (albeit both from the Dodgers).  It’s true that Hill brings issues of both age and injury history, but his performance has been far stronger than that of a Kazmir or McCarthy.  Plus, many teams throw rationality out the window in free agency.
  4. Rich Hill can be a game-changer for under $50MM.  Why did Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pull Hill in the midst of a perfect game, with 89 pitches thrown?  It’s partially because they know what a huge weapon he can be for them in the postseason if they can keep him healthy.  Simply by virtue of having Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill in a short series, the Dodgers will be a fearsome playoff opponent.  So maybe you sign Hill to a three-year deal and can only count on 100 innings a year from him.  Those 100 innings could be ace-caliber, and have a large impact on a team’s chance at winning the World Series.  It’s akin to the way a reliever like Aroldis Chapman can have a high overall impact despite throwing only 60 regular season innings.  A lot of teams don’t mind “overpaying” for relievers in free agency, because a Chapman or an Andrew Miller can make such a huge difference at crunch time.  However, Chapman and Kenley Jansen will require contracts well beyond $45MM this winter.  $45MM just isn’t a lot of money in MLB these days, and the upside makes Hill worth the risk.
  5. The free agent market for starting pitching is terrible.  The 2016-17 free agent market for starting pitching is historically bad.  Have a look.  Would you rather throw $30-35MM at Jeremy Hellickson or Ivan Nova, or $45-50MM at Rich Hill?  I don’t know whether the current draft pick compensation system will remain similar under a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, but if it does, Hill could come with the added bonus of not requiring compensation by virtue of his midseason trade.

The X factor in Hill’s future earnings is his own personal preference.  Certainly, he could take less money to pitch in a certain part of the country, as players sometimes do.  Let’s hear your thoughts in the poll below (direct link for mobile app users).

Dave Roberts On Rich Hill’s Near-Perfect Game

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The Dodgers’ Rich Hill was six outs away from throwing a perfect game against the Marlins on Saturday, but manager Dave Roberts made the difficult decision to pull him after only 89 pitches. On the heels of Hill’s departure, Marlins outfielder Jeff Francoeur ended the Dodgers’ perfect game bid with an eighth-inning single off Joe Blanton.

Roberts explained why he made the move afterward, revealing that there were signs of the nagging blister on Hill’s left index finger returning, tweets Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times. Hill, who struck out nine and could have tossed the 24th perfect game in major league history, countered Roberts by telling reporters that his finger felt fine (Twitter link via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com).

“I feel sick to my stomach,” said Roberts, who was on the verge of tears, per McCullough (Twitter links). “I’m going to lose sleep tonight. And I probably should.” 

The Dodgers logged a 5-0 win to improve to 80-61 – good for a 4 1/2-game lead in the National League West. However, Roberts added that this particular victory feels like a loss (Twitter link via McCullough). This isn’t the first time Roberts has elected to stop one of his pitchers from a chance at making history, though his call to remove right-hander Ross Stripling from a no-hitter in his April 8 major league debut against the Giants wasn’t nearly as controversial. Stripling had already thrown 100 pitches through 7 1/3 innings, and Roberts said it was a “no-brainer” to take the rookie out of what was a tight game.

Hill, meanwhile, has cruised all year, having compiled a 1.80 ERA, 10.42 K/9 and 2.84 BB/9 in 95 innings, but injuries have robbed him of enjoying a full campaign. While the blister issue has bothered the 36-year-old journeyman since mid-July, that didn’t stop the Dodgers from trading a haul to the Athletics for him and outfielder Josh Reddick before the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline. LA has reaped the rewards when Hill has pitched, as he has spun 19 scoreless innings with 20 strikeouts and two walks in three starts. Ideally for the Dodgers, Hill will serve as an integral component of a playoff rotation in October, and their World Series hopes unsurprisingly factored into Roberts’ move to pull him.

“Nothing in my opinion is worth compromising our opportunity to win a championship,” offered Roberts (Twitter link via Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register).

In addition to trying to help the Dodgers win a title, a healthy Hill could pitch his way into a rich contract during the upcoming offseason. Despite his age, limited track record and durability questions, Hill will likely cash in as arguably the best starter in a weak free agent market. Hill was toiling in the independent Atlantic League a summer ago, but he has performed like an ace since a four-start stretch with the Red Sox last September.

Cafardo’s Latest: Hill, Dodgers, Cubs, Twins

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The Dodgers are hoping to sign August acquisition Rich Hill to a multiyear contract before he reaches free agency in the offseason, reports Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. In his time with the A’s and Dodgers this season, the 36-year-old left-hander has dealt with multiple injuries – including a nagging blister – but he has been stellar when healthy. The journeyman has thrown 12 shutout innings in his two starts with the Dodgers, the latest being a six-frame, one-hit showing Saturday. Overall, Hill owns a sparkling 1.94 ERA to accompany a 10.33 K/9, 3.07 BB/9, 48.8 percent ground-ball rate and 14.9 percent infield fly mark through 88 innings. Despite his age, durability issues and limited track record, Hill’s next deal should easily outdo the one-year, $6MM pact he signed with Oakland as a free agent last offseason.

Here’s more from Cafardo:

  • Cubs players and executives will try to convince catcher David Ross not to retire after the season, Cafardo writes. Ross declared in November that this would likely be his final year, and the respected team leader has since slashed a solid .241/.360/.448 with eight home runs in 182 plate appearances while grading as one of Baseball Prospectus’ top framers and blockers. If Ross doesn’t return as a 40-year-old in 2017, the Cubs have a more-than-capable heir apparent in Willson Contreras. They also owe fellow backstop Miguel Montero $14MM next season, the final year of his contract.
  • The Twins’ search for a general manager could lead them to either Cubs senior vice president of scouting and player development Jason McLeod or former Boston GM Ben Cherington, according to Cafardo. Of course, the club is also looking for a president of baseball operations whose role will include choosing a GM.
  • Free agent outfielder Carl Crawford is likely to give baseball another try next season, a source told Cafardo, who adds that the 35-year-old could focus on his longtime team, the Rays, and his hometown club, the Astros, as potential landing spots. Crawford has been out of the picture since the Dodgers released him in June. Regardless of whether the four-time All-Star plays again, he’ll make $21.8MM next season to conclude the seven-year, $142MM deal he signed with Boston in 2010.

Heyman’s Latest: Dodgers, McCann, Napoli, Ichiro, Colon, Price

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The Dodgers intend to pursue reunions with at least four prominent free agents, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. Excellent third baseman Justin Turner, relief ace Kenley Jansen, late-breaking lefty Rich Hill, and veteran second baseman Chase Utley would all hold interest to Los Angeles, per the report, though age considerations and the presence of internal alternatives could limit the club’s willingness to top the market for those players. The 28-year-old Jansen may be the highest priority among this group, Heyman suggests. While the Dodgers haven’t exactly broken the bank on relief arms under president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, it seems Jansen could warrant an exception given his unbelievable performance level. All said, Heyman suggests it would be surprising if L.A. doesn’t bring back at least two of those four players.

Here are some more of Heyman’s latest notes, from his weekly column:

  • The Braves and Yankees have tabled any talks pertaining to catcher Brian McCann until the offseason, which may not bode well for New York’s chances to trade him to Atlanta. Heyman writes that the Braves have interest in Matt Wieters, Jason Castro and top free agent catcher Wilson Ramos, whom they’d love to snatch away from the division-rival Nationals. Atlanta is willing to pay half of the remaining $34MM McCann is owed from 2017-18. They’re also looking to add a rotation piece for 2017 and beyond, if not two, as a number of their top-ranked minor league arms are still a ways off from the Majors (which, of course, could make them appealing trade chips in an offseason where the free agent market is devoid of talented starters).
  • Mike Napoli, who is enjoying a rebound season at the plate with the Indians, has said he’d like to remain in Cleveland, though the two sides aren’t engaged in talks. Napoli’s defense and baserunning have torpedoed his WAR totals, but he’s batted a well-above-average .259/.345/.494 with 29 home runs in his first season with Cleveland. His bat should draw plenty of interest this winter despite the fact that he’ll turn 35 on Halloween.
  • Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki hopes to play again in 2017 and would like to stay in Miami, per the report. With his club option valued at only $2MM, that may be a fairly easy pick-up for the organization. Playing in his age-42 season in 2016, Ichiro has compiled a useful .294/.365/.366 batting line over 296 plate appearances, continues to rate as an average or better fielder and overall baserunner, and has even cracked double-digit stolen bases for the 16th-straight season.
  • Another aging veteran who intends to continue his career, says Heyman, is Mets righty Bartolo Colon. It’s not yet clear how his market will develop — we don’t know what level of interest New York will have, or whether the 43-year-old will be looking for multiple years — but there certainly ought to be ample interest given that Colon has provided 158 2/3 innings of 3.35 ERA pitching thus far in 2016. Even if the peripherals don’t quite line up with those bottom-line results, he’ll be among the more durable and effective pitchers available on a forthcoming seller’s market for starters.
  • There’s no sense that the Reds are interested in making a change at manager, Heyman says. Skipper Bryan Price’s contract does expire after the year, but with some positive signs in the second half — excluding a current four-game skid, at least — it seems he could be retained.
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