Shohei Ohtani

Quick Hits: Otani, Syndergaard, Mets, Prospects

By Connor Byrne | September 17, 2017 at 4:59pm CDT

Japanese sensation Shohei Otani is reportedly primed to head to the majors in the offseason, but don’t be surprised if he changes his mind, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times writes. The right-handed ace/left-handed slugger did just that in the past when it looked as if he’d come to North America out of high school, but he instead decided to play professionally in his homeland. Some major league executives wonder whether an agent will talk Otani out of leaving Japan in the offseason, given that the 23-year-old would stand to benefit financially (to an enormous degree) by waiting until he’s 25. At that point, he’d be able to sign a mega-deal that would crush the relatively small contract he’ll land if he makes his way to the big leagues during the upcoming winter.

Thanks in part to the international spending limits in the new collective bargaining agreement, where Otani will sign in the offseason if he does emigrate from Japan in the offseason is “shrouded in mystery,” according to Buster Olney of ESPN. “It’s incredible how many unknowns there are,” one evaluator said of Otani, who could consider factors such as geography, market size, friendships, endorsement opportunities and the designated hitter rule when choosing a team, Olney suggests.
The Mets have some reservations about using ace Noah Syndergaard again this year, Matt Ehalt of The Record reports (on Twitter). Unsurprisingly, if Syndergaard does return in 2017, the Mets will need to be convinced he’s at full strength. The flamethrowing superstar hasn’t pitched in the majors since April 30 because of a torn right lat, and while he has been working his way back recently, there’s not exactly a need for the out-of-contention Mets to deploy him again this season.
Newly retired right-hander Ryan Vogelsong could have continued his career after Minnesota released him in March, but he told Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle and other reporters that he “checked out mentally” after the Twins cut him (Twitter links here). Vogelsong received minor league offers earlier this season, including from the Mets, but he didn’t want to move his family to Las Vegas – the home of their Triple-A affiliate.
J.J. Cooper of Baseball America (subscription required and recommended) highlights 10 prospects who have taken major steps forward this year. The biggest name on the list is Phillies first baseman/outfielder Rhys Hoskins, who has mashed a record 18 home runs in his first 36 big league games since debuting Aug. 10. Hoskins gained more believers among scouts as he climbed closer to the majors, notes Cooper, who expects the 24-year-old to be a long-term impact player in Philadelphia.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Royals, Otani, Nationals, Dodgers

By charliewilmoth | September 16, 2017 at 3:53pm CDT

Here’s the latest from Ken Rosenthal, via a video from FOX Sports.

The Royals’ best course with potential free agents Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer might be to extend qualifying offers to all of them, Rosenthal opines. That would at least give them a windfall of draft picks if all three players were to sign big contracts elsewhere. The Royals seem to be running out of time to contend, and the extra draft picks would give them a head start on reloading.
There has been some chatter about the possibility that teams could circumvent posting rules to lure Shohei Otani by promising to sign him to a small deal now and a big extension in the future. Rosenthal, though, notes that the league would not allow such an arrangement. Of course, as FanGraphs’ Dave Cameron pointed out, the signing team would have plausible deniability if it waited to officially strike the second deal until after Otani had played in the Majors for a year, since teams frequently try to sign top young talents to extensions. Such a deal would have to fit in with established precedents, however.
The Nationals’ recent promotion of top prospect Victor Robles underscores just how many outfield options the team will have even if Bryce Harper departs via free agency following the 2018 season, Rosenthal says. In addition to Robles, they have Michael Taylor, Adam Eaton and Brian Goodwin, all of whom are under team control for the next several seasons, plus another top young prospect in Juan Soto.
The Dodgers’ outstanding depth could allow them to use lefty starter Alex Wood and righty Kenta Maeda as multi-inning relievers in the playoffs, Rosenthal notes. That means the Dodgers would be able to use quick hooks on any starter having a bad outing.

Quick Hits: Pitch Clock, Otani, New Defensive Metric, Velocity

By Kyle Downing and Steve Adams | September 14, 2017 at 9:05pm CDT

The age of the MLB pitch clock may be upon us soon. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported on Tuesday (subscription required and recommended) that MLB and the players’ union are working towards an agreement that could bring such a rule change to the major-league level as soon as next season. However, it’s also possible that the pitch clock could be introduced gradually over several years; the conversation is still in its early stages.

The potential for pitch clocks has been the subject of much controversy over the past couple of season, and began receiving test runs in Double-A as early as the 2015 season. The main reason is simple: the pace of play in baseball feels slow to younger generations, and Rob Manfred and his office are making wide-ranging attempts to take minutes off the game. We’ve seen small attempts towards this goal already, such as pitchers no longer needing to throw a baseball in order to intentionally walk a batter.

There are mixed feelings among players about the idea of a pitch clock. Jon Lester, for instance, has vocalized his distaste for years, complaining that it would take the “beauty” and “cat and mouse game” away from the pitcher-hitter battle (as ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers wrote a couple of years back). However, many pitchers at the minor-league levels said they found the pitch clocks did not impact them negatively. Regardless, Rosenthal writes that Manfred seems “convinced” that such changes are necessary, which makes it seem as though the introduction of pitch clocks is not a matter of “if”, but “when”. The piece is a great read, providing insight into the nuances and challenges of the discussion at hand.

Reports From Japan Suggest Shohei Otani Will Request To Be Posted

By Jeff Todd | September 13, 2017 at 12:10am CDT

Japanese star pitcher/outfielder Shohei Otani has long been on the radar as one of the most talented players on the planet who isn’t already with a MLB organization. He stoked expectations before the season that he might ask his current team — the Nippon Ham Fighters — to make him available to major league clubs through the posting system. Now, reports out of Japan tonight suggest that’s just what will occur (see, e.g., here).

Of course, given the indications given by Otani himself earlier this year, that news doesn’t come as a major surprise. Indeed, the expectation among major league teams has remained that Otani would become available, as ESPN.com’s Buster Olney recently reported.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that nothing is yet official, though the reports seemingly indicate that Otani has already made his wishes clear with club officials. We learned earlier this year that the Nippon Ham organization had largely committed to granting Otani his wish to leave for the majors whenever he requested it, even though the club can’t receive more than $20MM as a transfer fee and could have maintained control over the fascinating talent for a few more years under Nippon Professional Baseball’s system. That $20MM sum may change, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports, though he adds that the posting process is expected to continue operating in essentially the same manner — allowing any teams that are willing to pay the maximum fee to negotiate with the player.

Though Otani has not pitched much this year due to injury, perhaps that won’t have much of an impact. For one thing, he is considered an immense talent; if you’re interested in learning more about his projected abilities in the majors, be sure to check out this outstanding post from MLBTR contributor Chuck Wasserstrom. Further, the Japanese star isn’t really going to be looking for top dollar. At 23 years of age, he’s still two years shy of breaking free of the hard international signing limitations found in the new collective bargaining agreement, which effectively caps his potential bonus in the seven-figure range — a laughably small sum for a player who’d surely command nine figures were he available in a free market.

Otani, though, made clear in his prior comments that salary isn’t his chief consideration in pondering a move to the majors. Passan notes that MLB intends to be vigilant in enforcing the rules and will scrutinize any efforts to skirt them. Instead, he’ll weigh other factors, including his evident desire not only to pitch (where he’s considered most talented) but also to see action as a hitter. That’s not to say money won’t enter the equation at all; Otani’s precise approach remains to be seen. Notably, some teams will be able to offer quite a bit more money than others, with some capped at a meager $300K as a penalty under the prior system. And surely organizations will have different ideas on how they can help Otani earn more from endorsements and other sources. Regardless, as I wrote back in April, this sets up a fascinating potential market situation:

Should Otani become available, however, it would likely make for an unprecedented effort by major league organizations to woo him. That’s due not only to his unusual dual capabilities (and wishes), but also his young age and the unique circumstances of the rules limiting what he can be paid. Literally every team in the game would have cause to pursue him vigorously, particularly if the financial commitment is as meager as it seemingly must be.

That all remains true today, even as many of the league’s teams have begun sending emissaries over to Japan — in many cases, top baseball operations decisionmakers — to begin the unusual recruitment process. Any comparably talented young player would require a top draft choice or immense trade return to acquire. But for Otani — who, it’s worth bearing in mind, is considered ready to step directly into a major league rotation — a team need only be willing to pay the $20MM posting fee and whatever sum of international spending money it has available. Simply put, Otani could represent the most unique opportunity in contemporary hot stove history.

AL West Notes: Otani, Angels, Rangers

By Steve Adams | September 12, 2017 at 11:30am CDT

As many as 16 teams had scouts and/or executives on hand to watch star right-hander Shohei Otani’s most recent start, reports Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times (Twitter links). Of particular note, Hernandez adds that Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto was among the execs on hand to scout Otani. The start was just Otani’s third of the season, as he’s been hampered by ankle and hamstring injuries throughout the calendar year that have prevented him from getting on the mound. It’s not yet certain if the two-way phenom will be posted for MLB clubs to bid on this offseason — the new CBA’s strict limits on international spending have radically limited his earning power in that scenario — but if he does, virtually every team that is not currently restricted for shattering previous bonus pools would have interest in the 23-year-old. Otani posted a 1.80 ERA with a 174-to-45 K/BB ratio in 140 innings on the mound and hit .322/.416/.588 with 22 homers in 382 plate appearances last season. He’s hitting .346/.416/.574 with seven homers through 185 PAs as a designated hitter this year.

AL Notes: Astros, Tigers, Angels, Rays

By Connor Byrne | September 3, 2017 at 8:47am CDT

One of the premier players in baseball, Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, will make his return Sunday against the Mets, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Correa hasn’t played since tearing a thumb ligament on July 17, before which the 22-year-old put himself in American League MVP consideration by hitting an excellent .320/.400/.566 with 20 home runs and posting 4.1 fWAR in 375 plate appearances. While Houston was a juggernaut prior to Correa’s injury, it went backward during his absence. The team jumped out to a 62-31 start with Correa in the fold, but it went just 20-22 when he was on the shelf. Still, the Astros hold an insurmountable 12.5-game lead in the AL West and should have a realistic World Series shot now that their best player is back.

Elsewhere around the AL…

Although the Tigers went into a full rebuild this week when they traded Justin Verlander and Justin Upton, 35-year-old second baseman Ian Kinsler wouldn’t be averse to staying in Detroit. “I have no problem being part of a rebuilding team if that’s what the Tigers wish. I don’t know what they wish,” Kinsler told Evan Woodbery of MLive.com and other reporters Saturday. “I don’t know if they want me a part of it or if they don’t want me a part of it right now. If they do want me a part of it, I’m fine with that. I have no problem trying to pass my experience along as best I can to the younger players and help anyway that I can.” Kinsler’s having a down 2017 (.236/.316/.387 in 510 plate appearances), but the Tigers fielded an offer for him last month, and he’s likely to draw offseason interest as an affordable player entering the final year of his contract ($10MM club option). While Kinsler has a 10-team no-trade clause, he suggested his fate mostly lies in general manager Al Avila’s hands.
Angels right-hander Garrett Richards will make his long-awaited return to their rotation Tuesday against Oakland, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register was among those to report. Richards hasn’t started since April 5, his lone outing of the year, on account of biceps nerve irritation. The 29-year-old will be on a 50-pitch limit in his upcoming start and will gradually increase the count toward 100 by the end of the regular season, Fletcher relays. Both Richards and manager Mike Scioscia are confident the front-end starter is healthy and will fare nicely when he comes back, even though injuries have limited him to 39 1/3 innings since 2016.
The Rays sent representatives to Japan to watch Nippon Ham Fighters ace Shohei Otani’s start last week, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Along with the Rays and the Yankees, there were around a dozen other teams in attendance to watch Otani, whose fastball hit 100 mph, Buster Olney of ESPN reports. The changes in the collective bargaining agreement could theoretically give low-payroll teams like Tampa Bay a better chance to land the two-way phenom, though the Rays already spent $3.825MM of their available international money ($5.25MM) on Dominican shortstop Wander Franco on July 2.

Cafardo’s Latest: Stanton, BoSox, Donaldson, Yanks, Otani

By Connor Byrne | September 2, 2017 at 5:40pm CDT

The first-place Red Sox’s success this year has come despite a lack of power (they entered Saturday 26th in the majors in home runs and 27th in ISO), leading Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe to argue that they have to pursue Giancarlo Stanton in the offseason. It’s unclear whether the new Marlins ownership group will shop the right fielder and potential 60-home run man, but Cafardo contends that a Red Sox offer consisting of left fielder Andrew Benintendi, left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez and a pitching prospect would grab the attention of Derek Jeter & Co. As great as Stanton has been this year, it’s tough to imagine Boston parting with Benintendi, a top-flight rookie who won’t even be eligible for arbitration until after the 2019 campaign. Stanton, meanwhile, is still due another $295MM from 2018-28, and his contract includes full no-trade rights and an opt-out clause after the 2020 campaign.

AL East Notes: Bird, Britton, Sedlock, Groome, Int’l

By Jeff Todd | August 25, 2017 at 11:04pm CDT

The Yankees have announced that they will bring first baseman Greg Bird back onto the MLB roster in time for tomorrow’s game, as Sweeny Murti of WFAN first reported on Twitter. Tyler Austin was optioned to create active roster space. Bird is finally back to health after struggling all year with ankle issues. As Murti notes, the 24-year-old turned in an 11-for-26 performance in his rehab stint. The Yankees will surely hope he can maintain that momentum upon his returning after posting an anemic .100/.250/.200 batting line in his first 72 plate appearances on the year.

Here’s more from the AL East:

Orioles closer Zach Britton gave some details on the positive outlook surrounding his bothersome left knee, as Roch Kubato of MASNsports.com writes. In the near term, Britton says, he ought to be able to continue pitching as he has since the problem first arose back in 2014. Looking ahead, he doesn’t believe he’ll need even minor offseason surgery.
The Orioles will be exercising added caution with another pitcher, prospect Cody Sedlock, Kubatko further explains. Sedlock, 22, is dealing with a forearm strain, though executive VP of baseball ops Dan Duquette says it “sounds like it’s a muscle strain.” Still, Sedlock has already missed time with an elbow issue and the organization is understandably taking care. The 2016 first-rounder owns a 5.90 ERA through ninety frames at the High-A level this year, with 6.9 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9.
Likewise, 2016 Red Sox draftee Jay Groome will be shut down with a forearm strain, as Ian Browne of MLB.com tweets. The southpaw entered the season with quite a lot of hype but has encountered some troubles at the Class A level. He threw 44 1/3 innings over 11 starts there, with a 6.90 ERA and 11.8 K/9 against 5.1 BB/9 on his ledger. Of course, Groome only just turned 19, and clearly he’s still showing quite a bit of talent with that impressive strikeout rate. At this point, there’s no reason to think the injury will stunt his progress.
The Red Sox and Yankees appear to be gearing up for a big international spending period, as Jon Heyman of Fan Rag writes. Both organizations have struck deals to acquire pool money, boosting their initial $4.75MM allocations up to $8MM apiece. Heyman wonders whether the two AL East giants might be lining up a pile of cash to tempt Japanese superstar Shohei Otani, if he decides to make a move to the majors this winter, though it’s certainly also possible that the clubs are simply planning to add as much young talent from Latin America as they can.

NL Notes: Otani, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies

By Connor Byrne | August 20, 2017 at 4:37pm CDT

Eight members of the Dodgers organization, including president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, were in Japan on Sunday to watch Nippon Ham Fighters star Shohei Otani, according to a report from Sponichi (translation courtesy of Kazuto Yamazaki of Beyond the Box Score, on Twitter). The two-way standout threw a 58-pitch bullpen session before the game and then reached base in all four plate appearances during the contest, going 3 for 3 with a walk. Otani, 23, figures to be the most sought-after free agent available if he decides to immigrate to the majors in the offseason. The Dodgers seem likely to pursue him, but the international spending limits in the new collective bargaining agreement will prevent the big-spending franchise from steamrolling the competition with a massive offer. In fact, the Dodgers aren’t allowed to give out a bonus exceeding $300K to an international prospect in the 2017-18 signing period.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson is a near certainty to return in 2018, but manager Terry Collins’ exit seems like a mere formality, David Lennon of Newsday suggests. While the Alderson-built Mets have been among the majors’ most obvious letdowns this season, the spate of injuries they’ve dealt with has likely given him some leeway, Lennon notes. One prominent Met who hasn’t played at all this year is third baseman and captain David Wright, whom neck, shoulder and back issues have limited to 75 games since 2015. The $47MM owed to Wright through 2020, including $20MM next season, could serve as a hindrance to Alderson during the upcoming winter as he tries to reshape the roster and make the team into a contender again, Lennon observes. While the Mets could recoup 75 percent of Wright’s money via insurance if he’s unable to play, Alderson has to operate as if the seven-time All-Star will return. The Mets’ third base situation without Wright this year hasn’t been ideal, which Alderson acknowledged. “We don’t have an everyday top-shelf third base option the way some teams do. Not that we have played terribly at third base. But we didn’t go into the season with a solidified situation in part because we’re not sure what David’s condition would be,” Alderson said. “Now, as we go into 2018, do we build on what we learned in 2017 and act accordingly and consider moving David to another position, that sort of thing? That’s all something that has to be evaluated as we get into the offseason.”
Given that they’ll need to add him to their 40-man roster over the winter, a promotion could come this year for Phillies shortstop prospect J.P. Crawford when Triple-A Lehigh Valley’s season ends, Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes. If the Phillies do call up Crawford, he could see time at second and third base initially, assistant general manager Ned Rice told Gelb. Crawford lined up at third base Sunday, making it the first time he has played a position other than short in the minors. The Phillies still regard Crawford as a long-term shortstop, but incumbent Freddy Galvis is vying for a 162-game season there. Meanwhile, Maikel Franco is in the midst of a disappointing season, so he’s a candidate to cede playing time to Crawford. The 22-year-old topped out as Baseball America’s sixth-best prospect after the 2015 season, but he’s just 92nd on the outlet’s latest list. Crawford has improved his Triple-A output since last season’s unspectacular showing, though, having batted .242/.349/.406 with 13 home runs and 68 unintentional walks against 84 strikeouts in 485 plate appearances.

AL Notes: Joyce, Rangers, Otani, Tribe, Twins

By Connor Byrne | August 5, 2017 at 10:27pm CDT

Major League Baseball announced Saturday that it has suspended Athletics outfielder Matt Joyce two games without pay for directing an anti-gay slur at a heckling fan during the team’s game in Anaheim on Friday. In response, the A’s stated they’re “very disappointed” by Joyce’s “unacceptable” comments, but they “appreciate that Matt is contrite about his conduct and know he will learn from this incident.”

Joyce was apologetic Saturday, saying: “I am beyond sorry for the inappropriate language that I used and understand and agree that those words should NEVER come out of someone’s mouth no matter the situation. Anyone who knows me will tell you that it is not reflective of me as a person, how I treat others, how I live my life and that those hurtful words are not my views. I fully support and hope to help the LGBTQ community with their efforts in being treated fairly. I intend to let my actions speak louder than anything more that can be said about this truly regrettable moment.”

Joyce’s forfeited salary amounts to upward of $54K, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, and the A’s will donate it to PFLAG – an organization that provides support to the LGBTQ community.

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