- The injury to Padres outfielder Alex Dickerson opens a door for slugger Jabari Blash to get another crack in the Majors, manager Andy Green told reporters on Thursday (including Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune). “Obviously it opens an opportunity for Jabari,” said Green. “We might start entertaining the idea of hitting fly balls to (second/third baseman) Cory Spangenberg to check his versatility level at this point in time, try to give ourselves as many options as possible going into the start of the season.” The 27-year-old Blash was a Rule 5 pick out of the Mariners’ system last year, but the Padres struck a trade to retain his rights and optioned him to the minors before outrighting him off the 40-man roster this past January. Blash struggled in the Majors last year but hit .260/.415/.514 in 229 Triple-A plate appearances.
Padres Rumors
Heyman’s Latest: Quintana, Pagan, Cozart, Padres, Bautista, Giants
In his latest notes column, FanRag’s Jon Heyman reports that while teams such as the Astros, Pirates, Rangers and Yankees were all linked to Jose Quintana in trade rumors this offseason, the best offer the White Sox received came from an unnamed club that is currently perceived as more of a rebuilding team. That could mean any number of teams — the Braves, Phillies, Twins, Reds, Brewers and Padres are all in the midst of retooling their organizations — and further context is seemingly unknown at this time. A trade of Quintana, at this point, seems far likelier to occur this summer than during the final days of Spring Training, though Heyman’s note is a reminder that Quintana would appeal to virtually any club in baseball. With four years and $36.85MM remaining on his contract, Quintana’s affordable level of excellence can help clubs looking to win now or those looking to contend more in 2018-19.
A few more highlights…
- The Braves have made “multiple” attempts to sign free-agent outfielder Angel Pagan, but the veteran has been holding out for a big league deal worth around $5MM. Heyman notes that Pagan has received some guaranteed offers, but they’ve come with very low base salaries. Atlanta has also been tied to another reunion with infielder Kelly Johnson, but Heyman notes that Johnson, too, is seeking a Major League contract.
- Zack Cozart is still available in trade talks, but the Reds haven’t gotten much in the way of appealing offers due to the fact that few clubs are looking for a shortstop right now. The Padres have talked to Cincinnati about Cozart, but Heyman notes that they’re not keen on giving up top-tier talent for a player with only one year of club control remaining before free agency. Heyman notes that San Diego is still on the lookout for a shortstop upgrade.
- The Rangers would want a Major League ready starting pitcher in any trade involving Jurickson Profar, Heyman notes. The Padres like Profar but wouldn’t be willing to surrender right-hander Luis Perdomo in order to obtain him, he adds. That may raise an eyebrow for some fans, but I’d point out that Perdomo has five years of control remaining (to Profar’s three) and posted a 4.47 ERA with 6.0 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and a 61.4 percent ground-ball rate across his final 110 2/3 innings in 2016 after a dismal start in the bullpen. In that time, he posted a 3.84 xFIP and 3.88 SIERA. Profar hit .239/.321/.338 in 307 plate appearances last season.
- Right-hander Jered Weaver tells Heyman that he considered retirement this offseason following a career-worst year in 2016. However, Weaver began to feel stronger after a month of rest, ultimately landing with the Padres on a one-year, $3MM deal. Weaver says that he’s “10 steps above last year” in terms of how he feels physically at this point.
- The Indians made an offer to Jose Bautista that was for roughly the same $18.5MM guarantee he received with the Blue Jays, Heyman reports, and they weren’t entirely closed off to a multi-year deal. However, Bautista’s preference was to head back to Toronto.
- The Pirates sought right-hander Derek Law (among other pieces) in trade talks centering around Mark Melancon with the Giants at last year’s trade deadline, per Heyman. It seems that the Pirates were focused on adding an MLB-ready replacement arm for the bullpen in Melancon talks, which they received in the form of left-hander Felipe Rivero. San Francisco, of course, signed Melancon to a four-year deal this winter.
Padres Sign Cuban Lefty Osvaldo Hernandez
THURSDAY: San Diego has announced the deal.
MONDAY: The Padres are in agreement on a deal with Cuban left-hander Osvaldo Hernandez, reports Jorge Ebro of El Nuevo Herald (via Twitter). The 18-year-old southpaw, who was declared a free agent last month, will receive a $2.5MM signing bonus. Because the Padres have shattered their league-issues international spending allotment already, Hernandez will come with a 100 percent luxury tax, meaning he’ll effectively cost the Friars a total of $5MM.
Hernandez hasn’t been included on lists of top international prospects from Baseball America, Fangraphs, MLB.com, etc., making information on him somewhat scarce. BA’s Ben Badler wrote up a couple of paragraphs of scouting info on Hernandez following today’s deal, writing that Hernandez has an 89-94 mph fastball to go along with a tight-spinning curve that could eventually be a plus offering and a slider that could eventually be above-average as well. MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reported when Hernandez was declared a free agent that in addition to the Padres, the Reds, Astros, Mets, Braves, Rangers and Red Sox had varying levels of interest in the young southpaw.
The Padres have been baseball’s most active team on the international front during the current signing period, and Monday’s agreement serves as a reminder that the team could continue to add further international talent in the three months between now and the current signing period’s June 15 closing date. Among the Padres’ top international commitments this winter have been Cuban left-hander Adrian Morejon ($11MM), Cuban outfielder Jorge Ona ($7MM), Dominican shortstop Luis Almanzar ($4MM) and Cuban right-hander Michel Baez ($3MM). San Diego opened the international signing period on July 2 with fireworks, agreeing to terms with 10 highly touted prospects that day alone (headlined by Almanzar). Since that time general manager A.J. Preller and his staff have continued to aggressively supplement the team’s minor league system on the international market.
The Padres entered the current signing period with a bonus pool of $3.347MM, but they’ve exceeded that mark by well north of $30MM at this point and, subsequently, been taxed at a 100 percent rate for every dollar over that allotment. By my count, from the bonuses we’ve tracked at MLBTR, the Padres have exceeded their pool by at least $34.833MM, though the size some of their smaller-scale signings (which could be worth a few hundred thousand dollars) went unreported. Those numbers, though incomplete, put the Friars at just over $73MM worth of total expenditures on the international front, though the true number could very well exceed $75MM and approach $80MM in total.
Alex Dickerson Diagnosed With Disc Protrusion
Padres outfielder Alex Dickerson has been diagnosed with a “disc protrusion” in his back, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (Twitter links). Fortunately, surgery won’t be required at this time, though a timeline for a return is uncertain. According to Lin, Dickerson will sit for about three or four weeks before being evaluated again by the team’s medical staff.
The news makes it all but certain that Dickerson won’t command an Opening Day roster spot for the Friars, who have numerous competitors vying for outfield roles in camp. The 26-year-old, who hits from the left side, had made a strong case for a MLB job with his .257/.333/.455 showing in 285 plate appearances in 2016. But with just one game of spring action under his belt to this point, it seems reasonable to anticipate that the organization will give Dickerson time to work back to full health before considering him for the major league roster once more.
Even with Dickerson sidelined to start the year, the Padres will still face some interesting questions in determining the outfield mix. Up the middle, the team will likely decide whether to open the year with prospect Manuel Margot in the majors; otherwise, Travis Jankowski would figure to take that job. Cory Spangenberg, who also plays the infield, is another 40-man player with a lefty bat who could factor in the corner mix, Lin notes on Twitter, while minor-league free agents Rafael Ortega and Nick Buss are also in camp. Another southpaw-swinging non-roster option, Brett Wallace, seems to face an uphill battle to claim a role as a bench bat.
On the right-handed side of the equation, Hunter Renfroe could well be slated for a full showcase in the majors. But with Dickerson’s absence, there may now also be room for hot-hitting slugger Jabari Blash. He has swatted five home runs and drawn six walks while slashing .308/.441/.885 thus far, continuing a strong Triple-A showing in 2016. Jack-of-all-trades Christian Bethancourt functions as a wild card, with MiLB free agent signee Collin Cowgill also perhaps a factor, though he has struggled in his limited game action thus far. Lin notes that infielder Allen Cordoba, a Rule 5 pick, might also see some time on the grass.
Regardless of who cracks the roster to start the season, the Padres figure to retain plenty of flexibility as it unfolds. All of the 40-man members listed above (excluding Bethancourt) have options remaining. In Dickerson’s case, though, he’s entering his final option year, so he’ll need to work his way back to the majors and earn an opportunity to establish his place in San Diego’s future plans.
Which Teams Have The Most "Dead Money" On Their Books?
- The Dodgers have the more “dead money” on their payroll than any other team in baseball, Fangraphs’ Craig Edwards observes. Los Angeles has $47.4MM committed to players who are not on their 40-man roster (whether they’ve been traded, released or are still in the organization but just not on the 40-man) this season. The Padres ($35.1MM), Yankees ($26.5MM), Angels ($22.4MM) and Red Sox ($22.3MM) round out the top five, though San Diego is by far the leader in terms of dead money as a percentage of overall payroll. A whopping 54.8% of the Padres’ 2017 payroll is going towards players who are no longer on the team’s 40-man roster — Melvin Upton Jr., James Shields, Hector Olivera and Jedd Gyorko.
Padres Notes: Gagne, Infield
- Even though he’s 41 years old and hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2008, free agent reliever Eric Gagne is drawing interest from “multiple teams,” including the Padres, according to Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (Twitter links). The 2003 NL Cy Young winner and former Dodgers closer is in the midst of an eye-opening showing with Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic. Gagne threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings and ran his fastball up to 93.8 mph, per Statcast (via David Adler of MLB.com), in Canada’s loss to Colombia on Saturday.
- As the season approaches, the only certainty in the Padres’ infield is that Wil Myers will start at first base, observes of MLB.com. Yangervis Solarte “is going to be out there on a very consistent basis,” said manager Andy Green, but it’s unclear if he’ll remain at third (where he spent nearly all of last season) or spend more time at second base. Meanwhile, unexpected 2016 success story Ryan Schimpf and Cory Spangenberg are competing to start at second or third, and Luis Sardinas and Erick Aybar are in a close battle for the No. 1 shortstop job.
Padres Notes: Cesar Vargas, Jered Weaver
- There’s little doubt that the Padres are open to multiple possibilities in their rotation. As MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell writes, though, the club has begun to pare down the number of competitors. Righty Cesar Vargas was the first to go; he was sent down to minor-league camp in part to give him enough time on the hill to build back to full strength after dealing with a flexor strain in 2016. Vargas, 25, had turned in six eye-opening starts before the day of his injury, and could certainly still enter the picture at some point during the season to come.
- One Padres starting job will go to righty Jered Weaver, who Cassavell spoke with about his progress thus far. The 34-year-old says that focusing on flexibility has allowed him to make huge strides in his mechanics, calling it “night-and-day from last year.” He’s hoping the change will make him looser and allow better extension, while also preventing the neck and shoulder issues that plagued him previously.
NL West Notes: Solarte, Casilla, Seager, Nakaushiro
Yangervis Solarte enjoyed a very good season for the Padres in 2016 despite dealing with unimaginable tragedy off the field. Yuliette Solarte, Yangervis’ wife, was diagnosed with liver cancer in late 2015 and passed away last September at age 31. As the infielder tells Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Solarte was prepared to skip last year’s Spring Training to spend time with his wife and their three daughters, but Yuliette urged him to focus on baseball in order to continue providing for their family’s future. Yuliette saw her husband secure his first life-changing payday last spring in the form of a $3.15MM brand contract with Fantex, and Solarte gained even more financial security by signing a two-year extension with the Padres this past January. Sanders’ touching piece is well worth a full read, chronicling the couple’s life together, Solarte’s journey to the big leagues and Yuliette’s battle after her heartbreaking diagnosis.
Here’s more from around the NL West…
- Santiago Casilla is happy to be back in the Athletics organization after not being offered a contract by the Giants this last winter, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. A reunion between Casilla and the Giants never seemed likely given how Casilla became a virtual afterthought for the team after he was removed from the closer’s job in September, and the two sides didn’t do much in the way of offseason negotiating.
- Corey Seager has missed the Dodgers’ last two games and will miss Monday’s game as well due to a minor back injury suffered while turning a double play on Friday. Both Seager and manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times) that the injury isn’t considered serious, and the team isn’t even sending Seager in for tests. Seager has seen little action on the field during Spring Training as he was previously sidelined with a shin injury, though it sounds like the Dodgers are simply playing it safe with their young star.
- Lefty Yuhei Nakaushiro was one of the first cuts from the Diamondbacks’ spring camp but manager Torey Lovullo told reporters (including MLB.com’s Chris Gabel) that the Japanese southpaw isn’t far off from his big league debut. “Instead of putting pressure on himself [in big league camp] and every third day getting a look, we felt like he could go down to player development. The last thing we said to him is that he’s very close,” Lovullo said. “We will see him at some point during the year. We know that. We feel very comfortable with that.” The 27-year-old signed a minor league deal with Arizona last winter and posted very strong numbers in his first taste of North American baseball; Nakaushiro rose from rookie ball to Triple-A, posting a combined 1.23 ERA, 12.3 K/9 and 3.08 K/BB rate over 29 1/3 combined innings.
MLB, MLBPA Announce Rule Modifications For 2017 Regular Season
Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association jointly announced modifications to a series of rules today, all of which have been approved and will be implemented for the 2017 season (Twitter link). The most notable of the bunch include approval of an automatic intentional walk that does not require any pitches to be thrown, a 30-second limit for a manager to request a replay review, and a “conditional” two-minute guideline for officials to reach a determination on a review case. (The announcement notes that there are “various exceptions” but does not elaborate.) Additionally, Crew Chiefs can now invoke replay reviews of non-home-run calls even after a manager is out of challenges beginning in the eighth inning, as opposed to the seventh inning.
Over the course of the 2016-17 offseason, a number of potential rule changes have been floated — ranging from fairly mild in nature (e.g. today’s implementations) to extreme (e.g. Jeff Passan’s report of placing a runner on second base to open an inning at a certain point in extra innings and Jayson Stark’s report of potential strike zone alterations). While the elimination of the traditional four-pitch intentional walk has drawn its fair share of ire from fans and from some players, last season saw an intentional free pass issued just over once every third game during the regular season, so the change isn’t exactly radical. Then again, because of the infrequency of intentional walks, there’s also some merit to the argument that the change doesn’t impact the pace of play enough to merit implementation.
Beyond those two rules, there was also an amendment made in regard to the positioning of base coaches prior to the delivery of a pitch. (Effectively, they must be positioned at the intersection of the coaching box line that is closest to the plate and the line that runs parallel to the foul line when the pitch is delivered but are free to move to signal a player when a ball is in play). It is also now expressly forbidden to use any type of on-field markers that could serve as a reference for the positioning of defenders. And, the league made an addition to Rule 5.07, which seems to carry a direct correlation to Carter Capps’ unorthodox and controversial delivery.
Per the league’s announcement, the rule now “stipulates that a player may not take a second step toward home plate with either foot or otherwise reset his pivot foot in his delivery of the pitch.” Doing so with the bases empty will result in an illegal pitch, while doing so with runners aboard will result in a balk.
As Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (Twitter links), Capps’ “hop-drag” delivery has been interpreted consistently by the league in recent years. Today’s rule change was a formalization of that interpretation. MLB.com’s A.J. Cassavell tweets that the team (and, based on Lin’s tweets, the league) interpret this to mean that Capps can legally drag his foot during his delivery so long as he does not pick the foot up and reset it.
Minor MLB Transactions: 2/28/17
Here are the day’s minor moves, courtesy of Baseball America’s Matt Eddy:
- The Marlins added infielder Steve Lombardozzi on a minors deal. He’ll serve as infield depth but doesn’t figure to have much of a shot at cracking the Opening Day roster. Lombardozzi, 28, last appeared in the majors in 2015. He split last year between the independent leagues and the Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate.
- Another former MLB infielder, 27-year-old Nick Noonan, is headed to the Brewers on a minors pact. He has a fair bit less major league time than does Lombardozzi, but was able to reach the bigs last year with the Padres. Noonan spent most of the season at Triple-A, slashing .301/.338/.427 over 374 plate appearances.
- The Padres have inked righty Justin De Fratus to a minor-league arrangement. He’s looking to make it back to the majors after spending a portion of 2016 in the upper minors in the Nationals organization. De Fratus, 29, worked to a 5.23 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 over 20 2/3 innings.
- Righty Caleb Cotham has agreed to a minor-leaguedeal with the Mariners. He scuffled to a 7.15 ERA in 34 MLB innings over the past two seasons, but has shown more in the past in the upper minors. In 2015, he worked to a 2.21 ERA with 9.6 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 over 57 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A.
- The Orioles have struck a minors deal with former farmhand Chris Jones. Now 28, Jones spent the 2016 season with the Angels organization, working to an unsightly 6.92 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9. He had performed better with the O’s, though he has yet to earn his way to the game’s highest level.
