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Rick Hahn

Can The White Sox Make The Most Of Andrew Vaughn?

By TC Zencka | January 17, 2022 at 9:49am CDT

The White Sox have one of the best closers of his generation burning a hole in their pocket. Craig Kimbrel’s trade availability is no secret, so much so that speculation has reached the what-happens-if-they-don’t-trade-him part of the trade rumors life cycle, as explored yesterday by MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk. That said, when GM Rick Hahn picks up the phone to talk shop with one of the other 29 general managers, Kimbrel’s not likely the sole topic of conversation.

After all, determining value for a player like Kimbrel can often be accomplished by touching on a number of evaluative points, i.e. players, before circling back to the original focus. And of course, sometimes those conversation never return to the original player of focus at all. Vinnie Duber of NBC Sports speculates on who some of those other players are that the White Sox might bandy about in trade talks. This practice mostly amounts to a listing of the White Sox prospects and young players who haven’t yet established themselves in full-time roles, and sure enough, for Chicago’s Southsiders, they are the type of win-now club that must consider moving prospects.

The top player on Duber’s list (after Kimbrel), is Andrew Vaughn, the third overall pick of the 2019 draft. After an explosive season with the California Golden Bears, Vaughn was seen as a potential fast-riser, but it was still surprising to see the White Sox take a first baseman third overall, behind only superstars-in-waiting Adley Rutschman and Bobby Witt Jr. Impressive though his bat was, first baseman simply don’t usually go that high in the draft.

What’s more, the White Sox already had a first baseman in Jose Abreu. Abreu hadn’t yet put up his 2020 MVP season, but internally, the organization has always held him in high regard. Drafting for positional need isn’t exactly the rule of thumb for the MLB draft, of course. Regardless, at the time, Abreu was a potential free agent at the end of the year. So Vaughn, besides being a high-end college bat, benefited the White Sox as an insurance policy and negotiating tactic even before he donned a uniform.

Vaughn being blocked at first by Abreu was an easy can to kick down the road for Chicago’s draft team, but the hypothetical quandary actualized in 2021 as Vaughn approached big-league readiness. Though 2019 was his only season of minor league experience because of the pandemic, the White Sox nevertheless deemed Vaughn ready for the show in 2021, and they didn’t let the fact that there wasn’t an avenue to regular playing time stop them from placing Vaughn on the opening day roster. Of course, injuries cleared a path: all Vaughn had to do was learn a new position on the fly at the highest level of the sport.

All things considered, Vaughn held his own rather well in his rookie season, slashing .235/.309/.396 across 469 plate appearances while spending time at first base, left field, right field, second base, and third base. His performance at the plate was a touch disappointing as he finished six percent worse than average with a 94 wRC+, but if anyone deserves a little grace, it’s Vaughn.

Again, let’s consider the circumstances. Vaughn played his age-23 season not having played organized baseball in more than a year, never having appeared above High-A while adjusting to life as a part-time player and learning not one, but four new positions. He did so for a team with postseason expectations that absolutely did not have time to wait for Vaughn to “grow up.” He did so while taking the place of not one, but two injured outfielders in Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert who had quickly become the faces of the rising power in Armour Square. Even to be roughly the value of a replacement player under those circumstances (0.2 rWAR, 0.3 fWAR) has to be counted as a win for the ChiSox. The future is bright for Vaughn, with Steamer projecting Vaughn to become a 114 wRC+ hitter by next season.

For a high draft pick debuting for a championship contender, Vaughn’s national spotlight was surprisingly dim. His low profile can be partially attributed to the other stars on the team that pull attention their way, it could be partially attributed to the fact that the White Sox ran away with the division, but most of all, it’s probably attributable to the fact that part-time players rarely take center stage. And as Gavin Sheets, another rookie bat, crushed righty after righty, Vaughn was more-and-more relegated to the short-side platoon duties for which he was probably best suited.

Vaughn’s platoon splits are hard to ignore. The young slugger mauled southpaws to the tune of a 156 wRC+ with a .269/.383/.555 line. Against right-handers, Vaughn shrunk to a .221/.277/.332 triple slash, a mere 68 wRC+. Based on that production, Vaughn is already an elite short-side platoon bat. The question is whether he can grow to be more than that if he’s not getting those at-bats against same-handed hurlers. The White Sox will be heavy favorites in the AL Central, but the Royals and Tigers are rising, and the Twins and Guardians were formidable foes not long ago. It’s fair to question whether they can give him that time and space to develop.

We have to ask the question: should the White Sox trade Vaughn? For as much as Chicago will be favorited, they have holes to fill at second base, right field, and potentially in the rotation. It would hurt to move Vaughn, but to Duber’s point, we need only return to the Kimbrel trade to see Hahn’s willingness to shuffle pieces around to meet positional need – even when that means sacrificing young players. Last year’s trade of Nick Madrigal was a particular circumstance, of course, where Madrigal’s injury rendered him a zero in 2021. Hahn saw the potential to turn Madrigal’s zero into positive points on the ledger as they made a bid to be World Series contenders.

Of course, given how that turned out for Chicago, Hahn might think twice about making a similar move. That said, moving Vaughn would be a similar move if Vaughn is going to continue as a part-time player. Turning part-time production into full-time production would be a similar capitalization of resources, but that assumes that Chicago won’t find a way to get Vaughn into the lineup on a regular basis. Besides, his long-term potential coupled with his elite production against lefties might be enough for Hahn to tighten his grip on Vaughn, regardless of what kind of player he could get in return.

There’s also the matter of Vaughn’s “versatility,” which Chicago certainly utilized in 2021. Vaughn didn’t embarrass himself defensively at any position, but he also wasn’t a positive in any spot. Sure, they can continue to move him around the diamond as needs arise, but that might not be the best way to maximize Vaughn as a resource.

There are basically two avenues that the White Sox will want to consider for Vaughn as a resource. How can they maximize his value to help this team right now, and how can they best develop Vaughn as a player to reach his substantial ceiling? If they feel confident in aligning those tracks, then there’s no reason to consider moving Vaughn, not when alternatives to fill those roster holes remain. If the White Sox have doubts about their ability to multi-task Vaughn’s development, then it’s worth considering his value on the market.

Then again, what exactly would they be targeting in a deal? A regular second baseman or right fielder with similar team control and potential. Say, a Nick Madrigal type? I kid. But maybe they could pair Vaughn with Kimbrel to get a true in-their-prime superstar in return? Unfortunately, Kimbrel and Vaughn together offer the wrong blend of win-now and build-to-the-future potential for a team that might be willing to subtract a “true superstar.” Besides, there are only so many young players who have proven themselves to be Major League players that a team wants to surrender, even if they have holes to fill.

These deals happen, of course, and they’re rarely easy to spot before the trades are delivered to the league office. The Brewers and Rays excel at these types of deals, but they typically avoid any preciousness about their young players. The White Sox don’t have quite that history. Therefore, more than likely, Vaughn will continue his development as a member of the 2022 White Sox, sometimes playing right field, sometimes playing first base, always crushing lefties, and hopefully beginning to find his way to holding down an everyday spot in the lineup – and that much is true no matter what uniform he wears.

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Chicago White Sox MLBTR Originals Andrew Vaughn Rick Hahn

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Central Notes: White Sox, Cubs, Tigers

By TC Zencka | August 7, 2021 at 8:32am CDT

The White Sox rolled out a $128MM payroll on opening day this year, already the highest in franchise history, but don’t expect Chicago to curb their spending now. Team options for the newly acquired Cesar Hernandez and Craig Kimbrel would bring their payroll for next season up to $150MM — and that’s before arbitration raises – but owner Jerry Reinsdorf and GM Rick Hahn have prepared for this payroll spike and they’re ready for it, per The Athletic’s James Fegan. If Hernandez and/or Kimbrel aren’t part of the 2022 Sox, it won’t be because of their impact on the payroll. Elsewhere from the flyover states…

  • On the other side of the Chicago, the Cubs are looking towards the future, and that means increased opportunities for young arms in the rotation, writes Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times. Justin Steele, Keegan Thompson, and Adbert Alzolay are key names to watch as they make starts between veterans Kyle Hendricks and Alec Mills. For the Cubs to have a quick turnaround, they need some of these young hurlers to develop as rotation arms, despite their overall lack of prospect pedigree.
  • Niko Goodrum could be back with the Tigers as early as Tuesday, per Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. Goodrum has been out with both a finger tendon injury and a calf contusion dating back to mid-June. Daz Cameron, meanwhile, suffered a setback in his own rehab. He had to be sat down for a couple of days, so there’s no timetable at present for his return.
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Chicago Cubs Chicago White Sox Detroit Tigers Adbert Alzolay Cesar Hernandez Craig Kimbrel Daz Cameron Justin Steele Keegan Thompson Niko Goodrum Rick Hahn

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Latest On White Sox, La Russa, Rotation

By TC Zencka | October 22, 2020 at 8:49pm CDT

TODAY: La Russa’s interview with the White Sox has taken place, 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine reports, as La Russa spoke with team executive VP Kenny Williams and GM Rick Hahn.  Levine adds that the White Sox hope to make a hire within the next 10-14 days, and that the club has spoken to other candidates besides just La Russa about the job.

OCTOBER 14: News came down on Wednesday night that the White Sox received permission from the Angels to interview Tony La Russa for their managerial opening. The 76-year-old looks more-and-more like a front-runner to land the job. For his own part, La Russa is reportedly excited about his upcoming conversations with the White Sox, per Bruce Levine of 670 the Score (via Twitter).

La Russa managed the White Sox from 1979 until 1986 – his first managerial role in the majors – so there’s certainly a nostalgic angle that makes sense here. He fits the bill as laid out by GM Rick Hahn as well: He’s a voice technically coming from outside the organization, and he hard-checks the championship experience box. La Russa has six times managed a team into the World Series, winning the ring in 1989 with Oakland and in 2006 and 2011 with St. Louis. He retired after winning the 2011 World Series with the Cardinals. He spent the past season as a special advisor to the Angels, and the White Sox’ opening is an appealing position, even without the circle-of-life angle.

For the White Sox part, Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf has expressed regret in the past for allowing his GM-at-the-time Ken Harrelson to fire La Russa midway through 1986. What’s more, La Russa and Reinsdorf were often seen watching White Sox games together prior to 2020, writes the Athletic’s James Fegan. A committed La Russa must be a tantalizing possibility for ownership, but the White Sox are still early in their search process, per Fegan.

In the meantime, Hahn has his hands full trying to upgrade right field and the starting rotation. Though they have a lot of young pitching for whom they are closely tracking development (Reynaldo Lopez, Dane Dunning, Dylan Cease, Garrett Crochet, Jonathan Stiever, Michael Kopech, and others), Hahn doesn’t plan on just waiting for the kids to grab the reins, per this piece from Fegan. Lucas Giolito, Dallas Keuchel, and Dunning are slotted into the rotation, but they may explore outside the organization for back-end upgrades. The White Sox have no shortage of guys who could very capably fill out those last two rotation spots, but with the Twins and Indians set to compete again, their margin for error may again be slim.

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Chicago White Sox Rick Hahn Tony La Russa

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Don Cooper Will Not Return As White Sox Pitching Coach

By TC Zencka | October 12, 2020 at 11:29am CDT

After agreeing to part ways with manager Rick Renteria this morning, GM Rick Hahn spoke to the media, announcing further changes. The White Sox have made the decision to move on from long-time pitching coach Don Cooper, per MLB.com’s Scott Merkin and others (via Twitter). Cooper has been the pitching coach for parts of 19 seasons with the White Sox, beginning in July of 2002.

Cooper first joined the White Sox in 1988, giving him a remarkable 32 years with the organization. He was one of the longest-tenured pitching coaches in the major leagues. He was not only the pitching coach for 4 different White Sox skippers, but he actually became the manager himself for a short time at the end of the 2011 season when Ozzie Guillen was let go. Cooper then went back to his pitching coach responsibilities when Robin Ventura took over starting the 2012 season.

In recent years, Cooper has overseen the development of ace Lucas Giolito, as well as the ushering of many young arms to the major leagues. As a staff, the White Sox ranked 6th in the majors with a 3.81 ERA in 2020, but just 18th with a 8.93 K/9, and 17th with 3.71 BB/9. The change may be as much about allowing a new manager to weigh in on coaching decisions as it is about anything particular with Cooper, especially given comments from Hahn suggesting they are looking for new voices from outside the organization.

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Chicago White Sox Rick Hahn

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Video: Grading Rick Hahn’s Trade History For The White Sox

By Tim Dierkes | April 3, 2020 at 1:30pm CDT

White Sox GM Rick Hahn has shaped the team as both a buyer and seller in many major trades over the years, involving Chris Sale, Adam Eaton, Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier, Jeff Samardzija, Jake Peavy, Yoan Moncada, Eloy Jimenez, and more. Check out today’s video to see Jeff Todd’s evaluation of Hahn’s trade history.

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Chicago White Sox MLBTR On YouTube Rick Hahn

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GM Trade History: Rick Hahn

By Connor Byrne | March 30, 2020 at 6:45pm CDT

It’s not always fair to judge baseball operations leaders for free agent signings.  In many cases, the biggest contracts are negotiated to varying extents by ownership.  The same can hold true of major extensions.  It’s just tough to know from the outside.

There’s obviously involvement from above in trade scenarios as well.  But, when it comes to exchanging rights to some players for others, it stands to reason the role of the general manager is all the more clear.

In any event, for what it’s worth, it seemed an opportune moment to take a look back at the trade track records of some of the general managers around the game.  After covering the Diamondbacks’ Mike Hazen, former Astros GM Jeff Luhnow, the Brewers’ David Stearns, the Angels’ Billy Eppler and the Rockies’ Jeff Bridich, let’s venture to the South Side of Chicago and evaluate Rick Hahn of the White Sox. Here’s a look at Hahn’s deals since he was promoted prior to the 2013 campaign (in chronological order and excluding minor deals; full details at transaction link.)

2013 Season

  • Acquired OF Avisail Garcia, RHPs Frankie Montas and J.B. Wendelken, and SS Cleuluis Rondon for RHP Jake Peavy in three-team trade.
  • Acquired OF Leury Garcia from Rangers for OF Alex Rios

2013-14 Offseason

  • Acquired OF Adam Eaton for LHP Hector Santiago and OF Brandon Jacobs in three-team trade
  • Acquired 3B Matt Davidson from Diamondbacks for RHP Addison Reed

2014 Season

  • Acquired RHPs Miguel Chalas and Mark Blackmar from Orioles for OF Alejandro De Aza
  • Acquired RHP Nolan Sanburn from Athletics for 1B Adam Dunn

2014-15 Offseason

  • Acquired RHPs Jeff Samardzija and Gabriel Ynoa from Athletics for SS Marcus Semien, RHP Chris Bassitt, C Josh Phegley and 1B Rangel Ravelo
  • Acquired LHP Dan Jennings from Marlins for RHP Andre Rienzo

2015-16 Offseason

  • Acquired 3B Todd Frazier for RHP Frankie Montas, INF Micah Johnson and OF Trayce Thompson in three-team trade
  • Acquired RHP Tommy Kahnle from Rockies for RHP Yency Almonte
  • Acquired INF Brett Lawrie from Athletics for RHP J.B. Wendelken and LHP Zack Erwin

2016 Season

  • Acquired RHP James Shields from Padres for SS Fernando Tatis Jr. and RHP Erik Johnson
  • Acquired OF Charlie Tilson from Cardinals for LHP Zach Duke
  • Acquired LHP Colton Turner from Blue Jays for C Dioner Navarro

2016-17 Offseason

  • Acquired INF Yoan Moncada, RHPs Michael Kopech and Victor Diaz, and OF Luis Alexander Basabe from Red Sox for LHP Chris Sale
  • Acquired RHPs Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning from Nationals for OF Adam Eaton

2017 Season

  • Acquired OF Eloy Jimenez, RHP Dylan Cease, 1B Matt Rose and INF Bryant Flete from Cubs for LHP Jose Quintana
  • Acquired OFs Blake Rutherford and Tito Polo, RHP Tyler Clippard and LHP Ian Clarkin from Yankees for 3B Todd Frazier and RHPs David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle

2017-18 Offseason

  • Acquired RHP Joakim Soria, LHP Luis Avilan and $3MM for INF Jake Peter in three-team trade

2018 Season

  • Acquired LHP Kodi Medeiros and RHP Wilber Perez from Brewers for RHP Joakim Soria
  • Acquired LHP Caleb Frare from Yankees for $1.5MM in international bonus pool money
  • Acquired RHP Felix Paulino from Phillies for LHP Luis Avilan

2018-19 Offseason

  • Acquired RHP Alex Colome from Mariners for C Omar Narvaez
  • Acquired RHP Ivan Nova from Pirates for RHP Yordi Rosario and $500K in international bonus pool money
  • Acquired 1B Yonder Alonso from Indians for OF Alex Call

2019 Season

  • Acquired RHPs Joe Jarneski and Ray Castro from Rangers for RHP Nate Jones, international bonus pool money and cash

2019-20 Offseason

  • Acquired OF Nomar Mazara from Rangers for OF Steele Walker

__

What do you think of Hahn’s trade history? (Poll link for app users)

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Chicago White Sox MLBTR Originals GM Trade History Rick Hahn

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AL Central Notes: White Sox, Madrigal, Kopech, Royals, Perez, Mondesi

By TC Zencka | January 25, 2020 at 8:10am CDT

SoxFest is a victory lap trap for the Chicago White Sox this year, but Rick Hahn won’t cop to it. “We haven’t won anything yet,” said the Sox’ GM, per The Athletic’s James Fegan. With the golden boy Cubs hanging a winter goose egg (Steven Souza notwithstanding), the White Sox’ rebuilding efforts are cusping at the right time to steal the spotlight from their crosstown rival. Hahn was promoted to GM late in October of 2012, the last time the Sox posted a winning record. After seven years at the helm of an extended rebuild, Hahn is getting an opportunity to show a different aspect of his GM profile as he oversees the Southsiders’ push for contention. The handling of Nick Madrigal and Michael Kopech, in particular, will be interesting litmus tests, writes Fegan. For Madrigal it’s a question of service time, an issue Hahn and company sidestepped with fellow youngster Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez by signing them to extensions. For Kopech, it’s a question of inning and pitch limits as he returns from injury. After an aggressive winter, look to Madrigal and Kopech to track their pedal-to-the-metal approach into the season. Let’s check in on a division rival…

  • A couple of injury updates for key players came out of Kansas City yesterday. Both Salvador Perez and Adalberto Mondesi are expected to be ready by opening day, per The Athletic’s Alec Lewis (twitter links). Perez hit an important benchmark yesterday, throwing down to second base for the first time since Tommy John surgery. Royals catchers were a bottom-10 unit in 2019 by measure of fWAR, wOBA, and wRC+. Power was one of Perez’s calling cards, which should help the unit if he can return without any lingering effects.
  • Mondesi, meanwhile, underwent shoulder surgery in the fall and expects to be ready. The 24-year-old is arguably the Royals’ best young player, despite a history of poor on-base skills. Speed (43 stolen bases), dynamism (20 doubles, 10 triples, 9 home runs), and lynchpin defensive skills up the middle (4 OAA, 10 DRS, 9.1 UZR) make Mondesi a key figure moving forward for the Royals. Any push for contention for the Royals will probably come coupled with another development step from Mondesi and/or the other Kansas City youngsters.
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Chicago White Sox Kansas City Royals Notes Adalberto Mondesi Michael Kopech Nick Madrigal Rick Hahn Salvador Perez

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GM Rick Hahn: White Sox “Probably Done With Any Major Acquisitions”

By Mark Polishuk | January 23, 2020 at 8:18pm CDT

The White Sox have been one of the offseason’s busier clubs, and according to GM Rick Hahn, the South Siders may not be making more headline-grabbing transactions.  While the Sox are taking a “never say never” approach to further opportunities and “various potential smaller additions” could potentially still occur, “we’re probably done with any major acquisitions,” Hahn told reporters (including NBC Sports Chicago’s Vinnie Duber).

“The nature of the job is you always feel like there’s one more addition you can make, so I’m probably never going to stand up here and say we’re finished,” Hahn said.  “But in reality, I think the safe assumption is the bulk of our heavy lifting for this winter, at least, is over.”

The White Sox have erased any questions about whether the organization was willing or able to expand payroll, spending over $201MM on several new faces (i.e. Yasmani Grandal, Dallas Keuchel, Edwin Encarnacion, Gio Gonzalez, Steve Cishek) and a familiar one in Jose Abreu, who first accepted the club’s one-year qualifying offer for the 2020 season and then inked an extension that will run through 2022.  If those signings weren’t enough, the Pale Hose also acquired Nomar Mazara in a trade with the Rangers, and locked up star prospect Luis Robert to a long-term extension prior to Robert’s MLB debut.

These moves have already gone a long way to turning the White Sox from an also-ran with a 72-89 record in 2019 to a potential postseason contender in 2020.  That said, there are a few areas that could still possibly be upgraded — Duber cites rotation and bullpen depth, as well as a potential platoon partner for Mazara and a more stable veteran to play second base.  In regards to the latter position, Hahn did say to “ask me again on March 25” about the second base plan, which could hint that the Sox are still exploring second base options.  For now, “some combination of Leury Garcia, Danny Mendick and Nick Madrigal” will handle the keystone.

Madrigal is one of Chicago’s top prospects, and a player expected to eventually take over the position at some point in the 2020 season.  Madrigal is likely to begin the season at Triple-A for extra seasoning (and service time reasons), leaving the veteran Garcia and the rookie Mendick with the bulk of at-bats at least early in the season.  Garcia has displayed average-to-solid glovework — depending on your defensive metric of choice — and not much hitting over his seven seasons and 1493 plate appearances for Chicago, while Mendick had some good numbers at Triple-A and even over his 16-game cup of coffee for the White Sox in 2019.

Despite the promise on hand, there isn’t a lot of certainty within the group, especially for a would-be contender.  There are some interesting veteran second base options still hanging around the free agent market, and would potentially be had for a relatively low price at this late date in the offseason.  Signing such a player to even a one-year deal could be a good investment, and it would lessen any pressure on Madrigal to immediately contribute in his first exposure to the big leagues.

Mazara appears to be Chicago’s first choice as the everyday right fielder, as Hahn said “our scouts and coaches think there’s more upside to” Mazara’s hitting potential.  The former star prospect hit a middling .261/.320/.435 over his first 2189 Major League plate appearances, though Mazara is still only 24 and could benefit from a change of scenery.  The White Sox have often been linked to Nicholas Castellanos this offseason, though it seems like the Sox will give Mazara a clear shot at right field rather than make another splashy addition.

Depending on how things shake out with right field, second base, or other positions over the first few months of the season, Hahn indicated that the White Sox are open to addressing any future needs at the trade deadline.

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Chicago White Sox Rick Hahn

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Details On The White Sox/Yasmani Grandal Signing

By Mark Polishuk | November 21, 2019 at 7:31pm CDT

The White Sox made a big early strike in the free agent market, signing Yasmani Grandal to a four-year, $73MM contract that stands as the priciest deal in franchise history.  Here some of the early reactions to the signing…

  • Grandal and White Sox GM Rick Hahn spoke with reporters — including MLB.com’s Scott Merkin and The Athletic’s James Fegan — during a conference call today today, detailing how the two sides came together.  The White Sox quickly reached out to Grandal’s representatives as soon as free agency opened, and met with Grandal and his team during last week’s GM Meetings.  Manager Rick Renteria was a familiar face to Grandal from their time together in San Diego (when Renteria was the Padres’ bench coach), and Grandal was impressed by Chicago’s core of young pitchers.  “If I see that I can help that pitching staff, for me that’s pretty much No. 1,” Grandal said.  “So, their sales pitch was, ’Look at the young arms we have, look at the guys we have coming up. We have an opportunity here to win, and we think you can help them out.’ ”  To that end, Hahn said that two days after the get-together at the GM Meetings, Grandal asked to see video of Sox pitchers to get more information about his future teammates.
  • The White Sox were perhaps something of a surprise suitor for Grandal, given that Chicago was thought to be relatively set behind the plate after James McCann’s solid 2019 season.  Since Grandal could see time at first base or DH, however, there appears to be a path for McCann to still receive a good chunk of playing time.  “Having too many guys who are quality big leaguers is a good thing, not something we view as a problem,” Hahn said.  “We want to provide Rick [Renteria] with enough flexibility and different options to set a quality lineup each day.”
  • More roster holes need to be filled before the White Sox can call themselves contenders in 2020, as Hahn was quick to downplay the Grandal signing as a big statement.  “There certainly is a level of excitement of what we had done even prior to this signing today, but until we actually convert on some of these targets, the words are just that,” Hahn said.  “I leave it to [the media] to interpret messages and all that stuff….If, in fact, other free agents see this move today as reinforcement to some of the things they’ve heard from us over the past several weeks or even going back to last year, that’s great. Hopefully there will be further moves over the course of the next several months that will continue that positive narrative.”
  • While the White Sox were the most ardent suitor, Grandal noted that his latest trip through free agency drew much more interest than last winter, when Grandal settled for a one-year deal with the Brewers.  “Quite frankly, unlike last year around this time when the market was kind of completely non-existent, this year, it was slightly different,” Grandal said.  “It seemed like there were several teams that were working hard within their limits to be able to compete and there were thorough teams that were really interested.”
  • The Brewers and Blue Jays were previously known to have interest in Grandal this offseason, and The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required) adds that the Reds, Angels, and Braves were also among the top suitors, though Atlanta may have just “checked in” on Grandal’s status.  Cincinnati was MLBTR’s predicted landing spot for Grandal, as the Reds as known to be willing to spend in pursuit of a postseason berth in 2020 and Grandal represented a clear upgrade over Tucker Barnhart.  Catcher was also a glaring area of need for the Angels, while the Braves have one capable regular in Tyler Flowers but are in need of a complement after Brian McCann’s retirement.
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GM Meetings Notes: Mets, White Sox, Red Sox

By TC Zencka | November 16, 2019 at 11:21am CDT

The Mets have about $20MM to spend to stay under the luxury tax, and though they haven’t ruled out going over for a season, history suggests otherwise, writes MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. The rotation is largely set with Cy Young Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman, and Steven Matz locked into the top four spots. Despite the rumblings, GM Brodie Van Wagenen has been adamant about Syndergaard staying put, and as for the fifth rotation spot, relievers Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman are very real candidates. Free agent upgrades are more likely to bolster the bullpen, which is already a man down if Lugo or Gsellman jump to the rotation. Of course, the best upgrade they could hope for would come in the form of a bounceback season from closer Edwin Diaz. Diaz is putting in extra work this winter in Puerto Rico, and for what it’s worth, new manager and fellow Puerto Rican Carlos Beltran “considers mentoring Diaz one of his top priorities.” Here are some more notes coming out of the GM meetings…

  • White Sox GM Rick Hahn attempted to temper expectations before projecting bloated win totals for his club in 2020, per the Chicago Tribune’s Paul Sullivan. It’s an exciting time nonetheless for those on the south side of Chicago, with high-end youngsters Nick Madrigal, Luis Robert, and Michael Kopech expected to establish themselves as big leaguers. They have money to spend on pitching or an outfielder, and a tough decision to make on newly-minted gold glover Yolmer Sanchez. Madrigal is likely to unseat Sanchez from his regular role at second, and with Sanchez due to make roughly $6.2MM through arbitration, he’s definitely a possible non-tender. The Sox love him from a character perspective and aren’t eager to kick him curbside, but even with his new hardware in tow, $6.2MM after a .252/.318/.321 season is probably a touch too rich for the ChiSox.
  • The Red Sox are facing a different kind of offseason under the leadership of Chaim Bloom, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. Scaling back the payroll is objective A, and the Red Sox are active in trade discussions around just about everyone on the roster. The media has Mookie Betts as the fulcrum of Boston’s trade activity, but he’s expensive on a one-year deal and unlikely to sign an extension, mitigating any trade return and making a deal unlikely. It’s more likely the Red Sox find their desired breathing room by trading from their rotation: David Price, Chris Sale, and/or Nathan Eovaldi. Meanwhile, discussions with free agents are largely on the backburner as they look for creative ways to free up space in the payroll.
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Boston Red Sox Chicago White Sox Discussion New York Mets Notes Carlos Beltran Chaim Bloom Chris Sale David Price Edwin Diaz Mookie Betts Nathan Eovaldi Nick Madrigal Noah Syndergaard Rick Hahn Robert Gsellman Seth Lugo Yolmer Sanchez

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