Quick Hits: Pillar, Mets, White Sox
Whether the Giants tender outfielder Kevin Pillar a contract during the offseason “will serve as a clear referendum on how married to the metrics Farhan Zaidi’s baseball operations group will be,” Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic writes (subscription required). The Giants’ Zaidi-led front office acquired Pillar from Toronto in April, though the club could move on from him within the next couple months if it decides he’ll be too pricey to keep. Pillar’s making an affordable $5.8MM this year, but he’ll earn an appreciable raise over that sum during his last trip to arbitration because of his counting stats (631 plate appearances, 21 home runs, 86 runs batted in, 81 runs, 13 stolen bases). Those are aesthetically pleasing numbers, which can’t be said of the .257/.284/.430 batting line or the 83 wRC+ Pillar has posted. And while the soon-to-be 31-year-old Pillar has rightly been regarded as a marvelous defender throughout his career, advanced metrics haven’t been that bullish on him the past couple seasons (zero DRS, plus-1.2 UZR between center and right this year).
Pillar realizes the new-school turn that baseball’s front offices have taken could spell doom for his tenure as a Giant. He told Baggarly he wants to stay in San Francisco, but he acknowledged that “my future’s kind of up in the air.” Baggarly’s piece is worth a full read for more quotes from Pillar, a couple of his teammates and manager Bruce Bochy in regards to the high impact they believe he has made as a Giant.
Checking in on a pair of other MLB clubs…
- Mets first baseman/corner outfielder Dominic Smith will attempt to add center field to his list of positions next year, Tim Healey of Newsday relays. Smith, who has already slimmed down since he debuted in the majors in 2017, will spend the offseason getting in even better shape in order to become a viable option at the outfield’s most challenging spot. Whether Smith will play another game for the Mets after this season is in question, though, with Healey noting the 24-year-old could be a trade chip over the winter. NL Rookie of the Year shoo-in Pete Alonso occupies Smith’s primary position, first base, while the Mets count Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil and J.D. Davis (not to mention the injured Yoenis Cespedes) among their other corner outfield-capable players.
- White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease‘s season came to an early end when the club made him a late scratch from his scheduled start Thursday. Cease is dealing with a hamstring issue, one that will require an MRI on Friday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com tweets. The touted 23-year-old wrapped up his debut campaign with a 5.79 ERA/5.19 FIP, 9.99 K/9 and 4.32 BB/9 in 73 innings.
- Righty Michael Kopech, another of the White Sox‘s coveted young arms, didn’t pitch at all this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery last September. Now, though, the flamethrowing Kopech is anticipating what he hopes will be a normal spring training. “I am as ready I can be right now,” Kopech said (via Bruce Levine of 670 The Score). “I have done everything I can to prepare. It has been a long time coming. I am ready to go for next spring.” Kopech should have a shot to join the returning trio of Cease, breakout star Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez in the White Sox’s season-opening rotation in 2020.
NL West Notes: Marte, Rockies, Giants, Gott
The Diamondbacks will take steps to try and keep Ketel Marte healthier in 2020, GM Mike Hazen told Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, including “getting him off his feet at various points in time” during the season, and investigating “offseason/spring training type of regimens, physically, that we can help him strengthen to put himself in a better position coming into the season.” Something that doesn’t appear to be on the table is moving Marte back to second base, as while Hazen didn’t entirely rule out the idea, “I think how he fits onto the major-league team is a tremendous luxury.” Marte’s transition to regular center field duty went swimmingly from a defensive standpoint, as he posted an excellent +7 Defensive Runs Saved and +10.8 UZR/150 over 687 2/3 innings at the position. He also saw significant action at second base and a bit of time at shortstop, so between that versatility and a huge offensive performance (32 homers and a .329/.389/.592 slash line), Marte was one of the most valuable players of 2019 —- his 7.1 fWAR ranks sixth in all of baseball.
There was a bit of an injury cost, however, as Marte was shut down last week due to a stress reaction in his back. While the stress reaction wasn’t terribly serious, keeping the superstar healthy is of the utmost importance for the D’Backs. Hazen said the Diamondbacks won’t be “closing ourselves off to what the offseason will bring,” so Marte’s positional usage could perhaps be altered again should Arizona have the chance to acquire another regular center fielder (or second baseman). Marte seems like the best bet to be in center on Opening Day, however, given that landing a center fielder would likely come at a significant financial or trade cost to the D’Backs.
More from around the NL West…
- The Rockies‘ troubled pitching situation is examined by The Athletic’s Nick Groke (subscription required), who projects that German Marquez, Kyle Freeland, and Jon Gray will headline the 2020 rotation. The last two spots are up in the air between such names as Peter Lambert, Antonio Senzatela, Jeff Hoffman, Chi Chi Gonzalez, Tim Melville, Rico Garcia, Chris Rusin, and Ryan Castellani. While there’s certainly room for an external addition, the Rockies have now gone several years without signing a veteran to a significant Major League contract — Kyle Kendrick was the last, back in the 2014-15 offseason. It doesn’t seem like this trend will change this winter, as the team doesn’t have much payroll space available (due in part to a lot of ill-fated free agent signings in general in recent years). There’s also the fact that free agent pitchers who have a choice of multiple teams aren’t likely to want to come to Coors Field without a significant overpay.
- Unsurprisingly, several Giants free agents aren’t planning to re-sign with the team until they know who the next manager will be, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. This includes the likes of Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith, who will be two of the more heavily-pursued arms on the market this winter, and also lower-tier free agents like Stephen Vogt, who Schulman noted “seems like the perfect candidate to re-sign as a free agent quickly after the season.” Vogt has hit .264/.311/.492 with 10 homers over 273 PA this season, playing primarily as the backup catcher and also seeing a bit of time as a left fielder and first baseman. Between his valuable bench presence and his ties to the Bay Area, Vogt indeed seems like a good fit for the 2020 roster, and he would “definitely be interested in coming back.” If a new manager isn’t hired until the free agency period begins, however, the Giants would lose their exclusive negotiating window to talk terms with Vogt and other free agents.
- The Giants announced that right-hander Trevor Gott underwent left groin surgery yesterday. Gott’s season was already over due to an elbow strain, and the groin surgery only carries a six-week recovery period, so it shouldn’t impact Gott’s readiness for Spring Training. Gott posted a 4.44 ERA, 9.7 K/9, and 3.35 K/BB rate over 52 2/3 innings out of San Francisco’s bullpen this season, though ERA indicators (3.13 FIP, 4.06 xFIP, 3.74 SIERA) point out that Gott performed better than his 4.44 ERA would imply.
West Notes: Angels, Maddon, Giants, Sabean, D-backs, A’s
Angels manager Brad Ausmus has only been on the job for a year, but the club “would consider” firing him to hire Joe Maddon after the season, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (subscription link). That would require the Cubs to move on from Maddon, whose contract is up, while the Angels would likely need to make the 65-year-old a substantial offer. The first part of that equation looks like a real possibility, but it appears the second would pose a problem. Angels owner Arte Moreno likely doesn’t want to pay two managers, per Rosenthal, who adds it’s very doubtful he’d be willing to match Maddon’s current salary of $6MM. Notably, though, there is quite a bit of history between Maddon and the Angels. He spent 31 years with the organization in a variety of roles before his managerial career began with the Rays prior to the 2006 season.
- Recent speculation has linked longtime Giants executive Brian Sabean to the Marlins, but the 63-year-old told Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle that he isn’t going anywhere. Although Sabean’s contract is about to expire, he and the Giants are in talks to keep him in place for what would be his 28th year with the organization in 2020. “We’re in the process of sorting that out as we speak,” Sabean said. “I’m quite sure my Giant career will continue in some form or fashion. I’m not interested in looking to go anywhere else. We’ll see how it develops in the next month or so.” While Sabean was at the helm of the Giants’ baseball department during all three of their World Series wins this decade, he has taken on a lesser role since the team hired Farhan Zaidi to steer the ship last offseason. Sabean spent a large portion of this season scouting, which is his passion, Schulman notes.
- The Diamondbacks have shut right-handers Luke Weaver and Zac Gallen down for the season, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. Weaver sat out all of June, July, August and most of September with forearm and UCL injuries, but he made a successful two-inning return last weekend to cap off his 2019. He and Gallen, whom the D-backs acquired at the trade deadline, figure to slot in near the top of the club’s rotation in 2020. Fellow righty Taijuan Walker could join them if he overcomes the arm problems that have essentially shelved him for two straight seasons. Walker could, however, take the ball for the first and only time of the season in Arizona’s finale on Sunday, Piecoro relays.
- The Athletics just designated catcher Beau Taylor for assignment for the second time this year, but that doesn’t mean his days with the organization are over. On the contrary, chances are “good” that the A’s will try to re-sign Taylor in the offseason, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. Judging by the glowing reviews of Taylor that prized young catcher Sean Murphy and manager Bob Melvin offer in Slusser’s piece, he clearly has the respect of the A’s players and coaches.
NL Notes: Mets, Posey, Alcantara
While there have obviously been some bright spots for the Mets this year, Joel Sherman of the New York Post rejects the idea that it’s just another season. Having dealt away significant prospects and bypassed opportunities to recoup others, the Mets made a win-now gambit that hasn’t paid out. That makes this year a distinct waste, Sherman argues. There’ll surely be long-term impacts that haven’t yet fully been felt. Most immediately, Sherman posits that skipper Mickey Callaway is likely to be bounced from the dugout — an approach that would be supported heartily by MLBTR readers.
More from the National League:
- There has long been debate as to whether and when Giants catcher Buster Posey would begin spending more time at first base. But that’s no longer really a relevant inquiry, Kerry Crowley of The Mercury News writes. Posey remains a steady presence behind the dish as his first decade in the majors draws to a close, but his bat has distinctly fallen off its former pace. The 32-year-old is slashing just .256/.320/.368, marking the first below-average offensive campaign of his career. What of top prospect Joey Bart, who is nearing MLB readiness? Crowley argues that he’s the better candidate to spend part of his time at first base once he reaches the bigs.
- Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara has increasingly impressed over the course of the season, as MLB.com’s Bill Ladson explores. The 24-year-old’s latest outing drew his earned run average south of four per nine over a 191 1/3-inning sample. Alcantara has outpaced his peripherals, but it’s still quite a promising showing for a young hurler. Manager Don Mattingly says that Alcantara “has turned the corner” as he has increased his confidence and aggressiveness. Alcantara will not be eligible for arbitration until 2022.
Latest On Sam Dyson
Twins reliever Sam Dyson has a consequential medical appointment today, with the expectation being that he’ll require a significant procedure to his ailing shoulder. It’s not clear whether the Minnesota organization has any way of salvaging the transaction that brought Dyson into town, but LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune reports that the team has begun exploring its options.
Dyson’s troubles cropped up not long after he changed hands, which made for inopportune timing. Eyebrows were no doubt raised when the veteran righty informed his new organization that he had experienced problems since mid-July. After all, the Twins had found no reason to fear this sort of situation when they checked over the medicals at the time of the deal.
Unsurprisingly, Neal reports, the Twins have “investigated” the situation since it arose. That has included “discussions” with the Giants’ front office. To this point, as Neal puts it, “The Twins have been unable to find any evidence that the Giants had knowledge of an injury.”
It isn’t clear whether Dyson has spoken directly on the subject. But there’s no public indication that he had informed his prior organization of the health issue before the deadline. And he has made clear through prior comments that he simply believed he was dealing with typical soreness that wasn’t a major concern.
Assuming that the Twins don’t end up coming across any evidence that anything untoward occurred, it seems they’ll have no recourse vis-a-vis the Giants. In that case, the question becomes one of dealing with an unfortunate medical situation as with any other player.
The trouble for the Twins is that Dyson’s anticipated procedure comes with a lengthy rehab process. Per the report, the 31-year-old wouldn’t be expected to return until some time in the middle of next season. If that’s the best-case scenario, it’d be awfully difficult to tender Dyson a contract for his final year of arbitration eligibility. He’ll be due a raise on his $5MM salary. Given all the uncertainties inherent in a shoulder procedure, that seems like a hefty bill.
It’s certainly possible the Twins could attempt to work out some kind of multi-year arrangement, as we’ve seen with other injured players who sign during the recovery process. Otherwise, it is possible that the organization has already received the entire return for its investment of three young players (Prelander Berroa, Jaylin Davis and Kai-Wei Teng).
Giants’ Baer On Bumgarner, Offseason
The 2019 season has been a transitional year, to say the least, for the Giants franchise. Ownership hired Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi last offseason and named him president of baseball operations, and the Bruce Bochy farewell tour is nearing its completion as the end of the season looms. A perhaps improbable midseason hot streak may have kept the Giants from completely tearing down the roster, but it’s eminently possible that impending free agent Madison Bumgarner‘s scheduled Sunday outing could be his last in a Giants uniform.
Giants CEO Larry Baer joined Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle for a half-hour interview (audio link) over the weekend to discuss a host of Giants topics. Giants fans, in particular, will want to give the entire interview a listen for Baer’s discussion of potential changes to Oracle Park, ticket prices, his perspective on the time he spent away from the team during his recent suspension and his overall impressions and takeaways from Zaidi’s first year on the job. But from a pure roster standpoint, specifically with regard to Bumgarner, Baer doesn’t speak as though a parting of ways is a foregone conclusion.
“I think Farhan has had ongoing discussions with his representatives throughout the 2019 season,” Baer says when asked about the possibility of an extension. “Characterizing them — I don’t want to get into what is or isn’t being discussed, but I know they’ve kept open lines of communication.”
The 30-year-old Bumgarner likely has two starts left as he looks to put the finishing touches on his healthiest season since 2016. He’s already topped the 200-inning mark for the eighth time in his illustrious career and is currently sporting a 3.86 ERA (3.78 FIP, 4.18 SIERA) with averages of 8.7 strikeouts and 1.8 walks per nine innings pitched. It’s not quite the dominant Bumgarner of old, but it’s nevertheless been a sharp rebound effort that has helped to quiet any concerns that might’ve existed surrounding his durability in the aftermath of 2017’s dirt bike debacle.
The question for Baer, Zaidi, the Giants and other interested parties, of course, will be one of how long and how lucrative an offer they’re willing to make to outbid the competition for Bumgarner. The lefty won’t turn 31 until next August, so he likely has at least a couple of prime years remaining. But the free-agent market has become increasingly harsh for players on the wrong side of 30, and we’ve seen fewer and fewer teams willing to push an offer past the hard number at which they value a particular asset. The days of impassioned bidding wars may not be over entirely, but they appear to be waning.
Furthermore, Zaidi’s track record with the Dodgers doesn’t suggest that he’ll adopt a “whatever it takes” mentality to keep Bumgarner. The largest sum of new money the Dodgers promised to a player under Zaidi and Andrew Friedman was Kenley Jansen‘s five-year, $80MM contract — and Schulman reiterates in the podcast that he’s heard that was more an ownership-fueled decision than a front-office-driven reunion. The Dodgers also extended Clayton Kershaw shortly before Zaidi’s departure, but that deal “only” promised Kershaw an additional year and $28MM on top of the two years and $65MM from which he could’ve opted out. Baer references that as a “top-of-the-market” contract and points to the Giants’ own pursuit of Bryce Harper under Zaidi in suggesting that they won’t necessarily shy away from free agency — so long as a deal makes sense.
“It’s not so much, ‘Hey do you have the money for Player X or the money for Player Y, and how much does ownership want to spend?'” Baer explains. “It’s more — how does Farhan and the staff want to bake the cake? The way he’s been successful baking the cake is doing a lot from within, making strategic moves when they make sense. … It’s not about being averse to spending money, but how do you really want to put the whole thing together? When you think about the way it was put together [from] 2009 on, when we won, it was put together pretty much internally. We would complement with free-agent signings a little bit — mainly [additions] at the break, at the trade deadline.”
Again utilizing the cake-baking analogy, Baer states that he believes Zaidi & Co. will do so “with depth, and with looking at current players and what we have in the farm system.” There’s nothing that expressly rules out a series of notable offseason additions, but it’s also far from the aggressive tone that ownership reps from other teams have offered up in recent offseasons (e.g. the Phillies’ “stupid” money decree or the Astros’ public acknowledgment of efforts to add a high-end starter). And while near the end of the interview, Baer suggests that contending for the postseason is a goal every year, including 2020, he spends more time preaching the importance of “taking another large stair-step” forward next season. Progress, he contends, can be measured by the “energy around the Giants,” which he expects to improve in 2020.
Given the Giants’ history with Bumgarner, it’d be a surprise if they didn’t have a significant presence in his offseason market, but beyond that obvious connection, Baer’s comments hardly seem like a portent for aggressive spending on the free-agent market.
Giants’ Players Discuss Bochy’s Future
The Padres’ decision to fire manager Andy Green yesterday unleashed a firestorm of speculation about the franchise’s all-time winningest skipper. Bruce Bochy’s magnificent tenure at the helm of the Giants will come to a close next Sunday. What’s in the cards after that?
Bochy, 64, has no interest in discussing his long-term future, pointing to the need to focus on San Francisco’s final seven games. Giants’ players, though, were more willing to take the long view, with a handful of notable names sitting down with the Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly to discuss their clubhouse leader.
None was more forceful than Jeff Samardzija, who tells Baggarly he’d “be surprised” if Bochy doesn’t take a managerial job elsewhere. There’s no indication Samardzija has spoken with Bochy about the situation, it should be noted; rather, his prediction of Bochy managing elsewhere is rooted in the daily intensity Bochy still brings to his current position.
Samardzija wasn’t alone in praising Bochy’s energy level, with myriad other veterans, including Madison Bumgarner and Brandon Crawford, joining in to applaud Bochy’s fiery in-game nature and continued willingness to play bullpen matchups, even with the 74-81 Giants long out of playoff contention. Despite his age, Baggarly notes that Bochy has become receptive to analytics in recent seasons, a prerequisite for assuming a position of power in the modern game. That said, his players pointed to Bochy’s track record of being adaptable in-game and willingness to deviate from script when he feels the situation demands it.
In addition to the Padres, Baggarly speculates (and, to be clear, it is entirely speculative at these early stages) the Phillies and Cubs could make sense for Bochy should they decide to follow San Diego’s lead and part ways with their current managers. Unlike Samardzija, Baggarly isn’t convinced Bochy will return to the dugout, noting that he may prefer to spend more time with his family following an illustrious career. Nevertheless, it’s notable to hear from those closest to the situation that Bochy’s fire for the game continues to burn as bright as ever.
If Bochy were to pursue managerial jobs elsewhere, it would surely reignite speculation that Farhan Zaidi’s new front office nudged Bochy out the door last winter. That, Baggarly says, would be unfounded, as there’s no indication Zaidi and company forced the respected manager’s hand. Rather, Bochy took it upon himself to step away out of respect for the new administration, not wanting to risk overstaying his welcome and forcing the front office into an awkward and uncomfortable situation if they were to decide at some point they would prefer to install a new voice in the dugout.
In these early stages, with Bochy himself playing things close to the vest, we’re left with more questions and speculation than definitive answers. With 2,000 wins, four pennants and three World Series titles under his belt, Bochy is a surefire future Hall of Famer, one of the most accomplished skippers in recent memory. Whether he continues that career in 2020 and beyond will be one of the more fascinating non-roster stories of the upcoming winter.
Bruce Bochy Noncommittal On Padres Opening
Giants skipper Bruce Bochy recently recorded his 2000th victory behind the reins of a big league dugout–a nice capstone to what has largely been expected to be his final season as a manager. However, with the firing of Andy Green in San Diego, speculation has already mounted around a potential Bochy-San Diego reunion. As we previously relayed from Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Bochy is indeed on the Padres shortlist of potential Green replacements, and reporters, including Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, were quick to press Bochy today on his willingness to don Padre brown in 2020 (link).
“I’m not even going there,” Bochy said when asked about the San Diego opening, “I’m concentrating here right now doing what I’m supposed to do. That’s the last thing on my mind right now, as much as we’re in the last week here.”
While Bochy didn’t even want to entertain the possibility of an intra-division heel-turn, it’s worth noting that he has not necessarily ruled out a return to managing. Back in Spring Training, Schulman relays that Bochy said “Never is a long time” when he was asked if 2019 would truly be his final season as a manager. As San Diego’s skipper from 1995 to 2006, Bochy amassed a 951-975 managerial record–a stretch that also contained one Manager of the Year award in 1996 and an NL pennant in 1998.
Besides his history with the organization, a few other factors may fuel Bochy-to-San Diego rumors in the short term. For one, the February announcement of Bochy’s retirement coincided with San Francisco’s integration of Farhan Zaidi as President of Baseball Operations this past November; although team officials dispelled notions at the time that Bochy was politely nudged toward the door with Zaidi’s arrival in SF, changes in leadership do often precipitate changes at the managerial level. Secondly, it’s also fair to note that Bochy makes his offseason home in the San Diego exurb of Poway, so speculation will likely continue until he definitively declines consideration for the Padres job.
For what it’s worth, Bob Nightengale of USA Today divulged this afternoon that San Diego was eating about $2.5MM in firing Green with two years left on his contract (link). Terms of Green’s 2017 managerial extension had been previously unreported, so the revelation of his approximately $1.25MM yearly salary may be relevant in trying to pinpoint his potential successor. Bochy has been performing under a $6MM per annum contract with San Francisco since the 2017 season, so a southbound move to San Diego would require either a substantial pay cut for Bochy or an unprecedented budgetary bump from the Padre ownership group.
West Notes: Posey, Leclerc, La Stella, Padres
This has been a career-worst offensive season for Giants catcher Buster Posey, but the hip surgery the potential Hall of Famer underwent a year ago may be among the reasons for his decline at the plate, as John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle observes. If so, there’s hope Posey will bounce back in 2020, when he’ll turn 33. “It’s at least a year before you get back closer to what you were. Hey, this guy wasn’t able to do much during the winter,” outgoing manager Bruce Bochy told Shea. “We had to watch his workload this spring, and we’ve done it during the season, to be honest.” If Posey doesn’t come close to revisiting his prior form early next year, it could give the Giants all the more reason to hasten the promotion of their No. 1 prospect, catcher Joey Bart, whom they chose second overall in the 2018 draft. Whenever Bart does arrive in San Francisco, he’ll have a tremendous mentor in Posey. “One of the greatest gifts you can give to a young player is to have his back and support him whenever he gets here and try to help him grow,” said Posey, who expresses a willingness in Shea’s piece (which is worth a full read) to eventually see more time at first base if necessary. The 2020 campaign will be the eighth season of a nine-year, $167MM contract for Posey, owner of a full no-trade clause.
- Rangers right-hander Jose Leclerc was one of baseball’s standout relievers in 2018, but this season got off to a horrific start for the 25-year-old. After he yielded 10 earned runs on 13 hits and eight walks (with 13 strikeouts) in 8 1/3 innings in April, the Rangers removed Leclerc from the closer’s role at the outset of May. Leclerc has since revived his season and regained the job, though, and odds are that he’ll enter 2020 as the Rangers’ go-to game-ending option, according to manager Chris Woodward (via Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). “As of right now, yeah,” Woodward said when asked if Leclerc’s the in-house favorite to close next year. The presence of Leclerc – he of the 4.10 ERA/3.66 FIP with 13.15 K/9, 5.09 BB/9 and 13 saves on 17 tries over 63 2/3 innings – should enable the Rangers to focus on more pressing needs when the offseason arrives, Wilson writes.
- Injured Angels infielder Tommy La Stella was aiming for a mid-September return just a couple weeks ago, though he still hasn’t come back from the fractured right tibia he suffered July 3. Now, with just two weeks left in the Angels’ season, there’s still no timetable for a comeback, Bill Ladson of MLB.com relays. It seems possible we’ve seen the last of La Stella in 2019, which would put him in company with a few notable out-for-the-year Angels in Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani and Justin Upton. The 30-year-old La Stella unexpectedly earned the first All-Star nod of his career before landing on the IL, on the strength of a .300/.353/.495 line with 16 home runs and 2.2 fWAR in 312 plate appearances.
- Padres catcher Luis Torrens hasn’t played in the majors since 2017, the season after the club acquired him during the Rule 5 Draft. Torrens, then 21, was clearly in over his head that year. He batted a meager .163/.243/.203 in 139 plate appearances in the bigs, but the Padres still haven’t given up on him a couple years later. And Torrens performed so well at the Double-A level this season that he’ll be in the mix to win a major league spot next spring, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune suggests. Not only has Torrens hit .300/.373/.500 with 15 homers in 397 trips to the plate this year, but his defensive progress has impressed the San Diego organization. “The video I see, his energy behind the plate is incredible,” said Padres bench coach Rod Barajas, a former MLB catcher. “He’s a spark plug back there.” It seems Torrens will be part of a battle that will also consist of Francisco Mejia, Austin Hedges and Austin Allen next spring. In the meantime, he’ll start “a few” games in the majors before this season ends, per manager Andy Green.
Early Trade Deadline Re-Assessment: NL West
It has only been about six weeks, so it’s too soon to judge with finality how this year’s trade deadline maneuvers will play out. That said, we’re already most of the way through the period — the regular season portion, at least — for which rental players were acquired. Even players with future control are usually added first and foremost for their immediate contributions (though there are some exceptions). It’d be awfully premature to say anything conclusive about the prospect side of any deals, but we do now have some additional information with which to work.
So, that’s why we’re going to take a glance back over our shoulders at the moves (and major non-moves) that organizations made in the run-up to this year’s trade deadline. We already covered the AL Central, NL Central, AL East, NL East, and AL West. Now we’ll finish things off in the NL West …
Dodgers
With visions of Felipe Vazquez as the trade deadline approached, many fans likely came away thoroughly underwhelmed by the Dodgers’ efforts. But if making that deal would’ve cost Gavin Lux, then he wouldn’t be in the lineup right now.
Plus, the Dodgers are awfully good even without another high-end relief arm. The bullpen has some big questions, to be sure, but the L.A. organization is loaded with starting pitching options that can all be deployed in various ways come October. There’s no question that there’s a possibility we’ll look back and think the Dodgers should have done more, but it’s likewise impossible to argue with the organization’s process or results in recent years.
So, what did the team do? On deadline day, the headliner was … trading for lefty reliever Adam Kolarek. That seemed ho-hum, but he has been quite useful, allowing just one earned run in 10 1/3 innings over 21 appearances. Yep, he’s being utilized judiciously, but that makes sense. Kolarek has been bombed by righties this year but has held opposing southpaws to a meager .183/.227/.269 batting line. The player sent out to get him, outfielder Niko Hulsizer, acquired in return, didn’t really have enough action to change his outlook in any meaningful way.
Otherwise, the moves were even lower-stakes arrangements. Utilityman Kristopher Negron has chipped in well since his acquisition and the Dodgers probably won’t miss Daniel Castro, who hasn’t hit much in the upper minors and wasn’t likely to play a significant role this year or next. The Dodgers haven’t gotten anything from Tyler White, but also probably haven’t seen anything from Andre Scrubb to cause major regret from that trade. Jedd Gyorko hasn’t hit well since coming over, but that didn’t cost much either. Young righty Jeffry Abreu, sent in the swap along with the contract of Tony Cingrani, hasn’t yet thrown competitive innings with the Cardinals. The Dodgers also picked up international spending capacity and cash considerations in the deal.
Diamondbacks
The major move came at the very last minute, with the D-Backs parting with veteran righty Zack Greinke. It’s hard to imagine that free agent contract having a softer landing. In addition to shedding much of the remaining financial obligation, the Arizona organization added four high-quality prospects.
Only one of those new players, infielder Josh Rojas, has ascended to the majors. The 25-year-old owns only a .232/.318/.337 slash in 107 trips to the plate, but his monster season in the upper minors still makes him an intriguing player going forward. The other three were even more highly regarded talents. Slugger-in-training Seth Beer struggled after the swap but still holds ample promise. Talented righties Corbin Martin and J.B. Bukauskas will be looking to bounce back, respectively, from Tommy John surgery and a bit of a down season in the results department.
The Snakes figured to take a step back sans Greinke, but they actually managed to stay relevant in the Wild Card race. Young righty Zac Gallen has had a big say in that, having thrown 43 2/3 innings of 2.89 ERA ball since arriving in exchange for touted infielder Jazz Chisholm. That’s immensely promising for the Arizona organization, which will hope Gallen can sustain his breakout year. On the other side of that deal, it’s fair to note that the 21-year-old Chisholm put his struggles behind him to finish with a strong .284/.383/.494 (156 wRC+) run after going into the Miami system.
With a continued eye to making sound baseball decisions for sustainable competitiveness, the Diamondbacks finally hammered out a swap for sturdy but unexciting starter Mike Leake. The veteran righty had a no-trade clause and personal reasons to prefer pitching in Arizona, which may have helped the Snakes work out a solid deal that cost only $6MM in total salary obligations and Jose Caballero. The young infielder struggled to a .256/.339/.333 batting line at the High-A level after the deal.
The D-Backs got some cash in exchange for catcher John Ryan Murphy, but otherwise that was it for mid-summer roster moves. It’s easy to like the overall slate of changes, though we’ll need to track them to see how it all shakes out over the long haul.
Giants
Also busy were the Giants, who faced a tricky deadline situation owing to a hot streak that had the club in Wild Card contention. Ultimately, the team decided not to sell of quality lefties Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith — each of whom might have brought back significant returns. The former is sure to receive a qualifying offer and the latter is a candidate as well, so there are still some paths to achieving future value, but the organization knew it was making some sacrifices by holding on to these pitchers.
The San Francisco denizens did move quite a few other hurlers. Chief among them was righty Sam Dyson (link), who will be eligible for arbitration one final time in 2020. Unfortunately, he has struggled badly in just a dozen appearances with the Twins and is now under consideration for a season-ending shoulder procedure. That doesn’t look great for Minnesota, though questions remain on the other side of the swap as well. Power-hitting outfielder Jaylin Davis laid waste to Triple-A but has struggled in his first, brief foray into the majors. We won’t know for quite some time what the Giants really have in young pitching prospects Kai-Wei Teng and Prelander Berroa.
The well-timed reemergence of southpaw Drew Pomeranz allowed the Giants to package him with power righty Ray Black in a deal that landed long-lauded infield prospect Mauricio Dubon. Pomeranz has been useful in Milwaukee but is a pure rental; Black still hasn’t shown his big heat can consistently retire MLB hitters. Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Dubon has turned in an impressive .302/.327/.547 run in his first 55 plate appearances at the game’s highest level. That showing could make him the favorite to handle second base next year in San Francisco. The club made way by dropping veteran Scooter Gennett, who had been acquired as a buy-low replacement for Joe Panik.
The other significant reliever swap involved high-priced veteran Mark Melancon. It was surprising to see the Giants shed all of the veteran’s remaining salary obligations. He has a strong 20:2 K/BB ratio in 15 2/3 frames since the deal, along with ten saves, but hasn’t consistently kept runs off the board. The Giants have to be pleased with what they saw from the player they added in that swap. Young righty Tristan Beck threw 35 2/3 innings of 2.27 ERA ball, with 9.3 K/9 against 3.3 BB/9, for the club’s High-A affiliate.
Rounding things out for the Giants, the team took a shot on outfielder Joe McCarthy, who has not yet figured things out at Triple-A. The cost was younger prospect Jacob Lopez, who is still in the low minors but generated solid results this year.
Padres
The deadline turned out to be all about one man: Taylor Trammell. Long considered an uber-talented outfielder, the former first-round pick was plainly targeted by the Padres. It took a complicated, three-team arrangement to make it happen, but the San Diego organization now has a player that it views as the center fielder of the future.
Trammell remains an unfinished product. He wrapped up the season on a hot streak but ultimately carried only a .229/.316/.381 slash in his 133 Double-A plate appearances after the swap. The Friars are betting on their ability to finish off his development and surely hope they bought at a relative low point.
Making the deal cost the Pads a few quality assets. Young outfielder Franmil Reyes hasn’t yet settled in with his new team, posting 56 strikeouts in 161 plate appearances, but he comes with loads of cheap control and ample potential. Southpaw Logan Allen has mostly struggled this year, but he is another player that could soon be a quality MLB contributor. The Padres also parted with far-away youngster Victor Nova. Clearly, the San Diego end of this swap will take many years to evaluate in full.
It was otherwise a fairly quiet deadline period. The Padres got nothing from Carl Edwards Jr. after adding him from the Cubs; he seems a non-tender candidate this fall. Meanwhile, lefty Brad Wieck has been a surprising contributor in Chicago since that swap was completed. The 27-year-old has eleven strikeouts without a walk in 5 1/3 appearances. Also heading out of San Diego was righty reliever, Phil Maton, who has thus far been useful but unremarkable in Cleveland.
Rockies
Typically, when a team enters a season intending to contend and finds itself buried by the trade deadline, there’s a sell-off. Not so in Colorado — and for good reason. The club just didn’t have any assets that made sense to move. The higher-priced veterans haven’t performed well enough to generate appreciable cost savings, while the club’s core talent can’t be shipped out without leaving un-fillable holes. While some Charlie Blackmon explorations reportedly took place, that never seemed likely to result in a move and in the end fizzled out.
So … all we’re left with was this stirring blockbuster with the Yankees: the acquisition of right-hander Joe Harvey for minor league left-hander Alfredo Garcia. Harvey is a MLB-ready reliever who has shown some strikeout ability in the minors, though his initial transition to the highest level of the game hasn’t been especially promising. Garcia generated good results on both sides of the swap, but he’s a low-A player who is a long way from the bigs.