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Rays, Indians Interested In Domingo Santana

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Domingo Santana has been drawing some attention as the trade deadline approaches, and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link) reports that the Rays and Indians are two of the teams showing some interest in the Mariners outfielder.

Santana has rebounded from a down year in 2018 to hit .273/.342/.475 over 446 plate appearances for the Mariners, and he recorded his 20th homer of the season in today’s 3-2 win over the Tigers.  Despite the impressive 120 wRC+, however, Santana has also struck out a league-high 135 times, and is a significant defensive liability as a corner outfielder.

The lack of glovework is particularly ill-suited to a Tampa Bay team that prioritizes defensive versatility, particularly since Tommy Pham and Austin Meadows have been so productive as the regular corner outfielders.  That said, the Rays may simply be willing to overlook Santana’s defensive shortcomings in the name of getting some extra pop in their lineup, which is middle-of-the-pack is most offensive categories leaguewide.  Santana and Meadows could more or less split the right field and DH duties, with prospect Nate Lowe perhaps returning to the minors until rosters expand in September.  It isn’t a perfect fit, on paper, though Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto and Rays GM Erik Neander have been such frequent trading partners that it isn’t a shock to see Tampa linked to any potentially-available Seattle player.

The Indians also aren’t strangers to trading with the Mariners, as they joined with the Rays for last December’s three-team that saw Carlos Santana go to Cleveland and Edwin Encarnacion to Seattle.  As with the Rays, Santana would give the Tribe’s offense a shot in the arm, especially since Cleveland is still looking for some consistent production from its outfield.  Rookie Oscar Mercado has solidified center field, and Tyler Naquin and Jordan Luplow have both hit well in limited action, though adding Santana as an outfielder/DH would certainly help matters.  Of particular note, Santana’s right-handed bat would greatly help a lineup that hasn’t done much damage against lefty pitching this season.

Santana’s struggles with the Brewers last year led to his modest $1.95MM 2019 salary in his first year of arbitration, so even though he’ll undoubtedly get a big raise this winter, he won’t earn enough to break the bank for the low-payroll Rays or Indians.  Since Santana has two-plus remaining years of control, of course, Seattle will be looking for a quality return in any trade.

Indians Acquire Hunter Wood, Christian Arroyo

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6:41PM: The two teams have officially announced the trade.  Jefry Rodriguez will move to the Indians’ 60-day injured list to create roster space.  The Rays will get $250K in international bonus funds, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand tweets.

5:16PM: The Indians have acquired right-hander Hunter Wood and infielder Christian Arroyo from the Rays in exchange for minor league outfielder Ruben Cardenas and some international signing money.  Yahoo Sports’ Tim Brown (Twitter link) was the first to report that Wood was being dealt to Cleveland, while Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter) added the other particulars of the swap.

Wood, who turns 26 next month, has a 2.48 ERA, 7.4 K/9, and 3.43 K/BB rate over 29 innings for the Rays this season.  ERA predictors such as FIP (4.19), xFIP (5.10) and SIERA (4.52) are much less impressed with Wood’s work, perhaps due to his lack of strikeouts and large amount of fly balls generated, as Wood has only a 29.4% grounder rate.  On the plus side, Wood is allowing less hard contract and issuing fewer walks than he did in his 2018 rookie season.  While not a premium reliever, he’ll add even more depth to a Tribe bullpen that is already one of the game’s best.

As a young arm controlled through the 2024 season, Wood isn’t an insubstantial piece for the Rays to be giving up, particularly to a Cleveland team who is currently battling Tampa for a wild card position.  Still, the Rays had to open up a 40-man roster spot for the newly-acquired Eric Sogard, and Wood wasn’t a critical member of the relief corps.  The righty was one of several members of the Tampa-to-Durham taxi squad over the last two seasons, as the Rays frequently shuffled pitchers back and forth between the majors and Triple-A.

Sogard’s arrival makes Arroyo even more expendable, as Arroyo already wasn’t going to be a factor for Tampa until mid-August due to a 60-day injured list placement due to forearm tendinitis.  It wasn’t long ago that Arroyo was ranked as one of the more highly-touted prospects in the sport — MLB.com ranked Arroyo within their top-90 prospect list every year from 2016-18, topping out at 81st prior to the 2018 season.

Originally drafted 25th overall by the Giants in 2013, Arroyo was the centerpiece of the prospect package sent from San Francisco to Tampa in the 2017-18 offseason for Evan Longoria.  Unfortunately for Arroyo and the Rays, his two seasons at Tropicana Field have been plagued with injuries, and he has appeared in just 16 games in a Rays uniform.  Arroyo is still only 24, and with only 251 career MLB plate appearances to go on, there’s still plenty of time for him to realize his potential.

Arroyo has played mostly second and third base in recent seasons after beginning his pro career as a shortstop, so the Indians have some flexibility in how they choose to deploy Arroyo at the big league level.  It could be that the Tribe simply uses Arroyo as a multi-position player, or they could direct him more specifically towards second base (if Jason Kipnis’ club option isn’t exercised for 2020, as expected), third base (if Jose Ramirez is moved back to second base to replace Kipnis) or potentially even shortstop, if Cleveland explores the big splash that would be a Francisco Lindor trade in the offseason.

Cardenas was a 16th-round pick for the Tribe in the 2018 draft.  The Cal State Fullerton product wasn’t ranked by MLB.com as a top-30 prospect in Cleveland’s system, though Cardenas is off to a nice start in his pro career, hitting .292/.366/.469 with 10 homers over 524 plate appearances.  He has spent all of this season at the Indians’ A-ball affiliate in Lake County.

Rays Acquire Eric Sogard

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6:16PM: The trade has been officially announced.  Toronto will indeed receive two players to be named later.

1:20PM: The Blue Jays have traded infielder Eric Sogard to the Tampa Bay Rays, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sogard was a late scratch from Sunday’s game, with Jon Morosi of MLB Network first reporting that a trade was “imminent.” The deal is pending a physical.

According to Scott Mitchell of TSN Sports, it appears that the Blue Jays will receive two players to be named later in the deal, though he notes that the deal has not yet been finalized and details have yet to be confirmed. The Rays will need to clear a spot for Sogard on the 40-man roster.

As one of just a few utility options on the trade market, the 33-year-old attracted the interest of a number of teams, having been linked to the Cubs and Giants, though in the end it was the Rays who made the most compelling proposal. With the Blue Jays playing out the finale of a series against the Rays, Sogard won’t have to travel far to join his new team. He’ll depart the Toronto dugout and travel to Boston with his new teammates.

With more than eight years of MLB experience under his belt, Sogard is not an unknown commodity. That said, no one—perhaps not even the Blue Jays—could have expected the veteran to transform himself into a coveted trade target. The club inked Sogard to a minor-league contract in December after his market didn’t develop in free agency. Now, though, president Mark Shapiro and company will turn that small investment into a prospect that better fits their timeline for contention.

Though the Rays certainly don’t have a glaring need on the infield, depth and versatility are imperative for contending clubs as the postseason approaches. A number of injuries have already thinned the Tampa infield, with Brandon Lowe, Daniel Robertson, Yandy Diaz, and Christian Arroyo all currently on the injured list. With Joey Wendle struggling to replicate last season’s success and still no timetable for Lowe’s return, per Marc Topkin, Sogard looks like a solid candidate to fill in at second base for the time being, with the potential to slide into a depth/utility role when Lowe gets healthy. While Sogard has spent the bulk of his career at second base, he has played sparingly at shortstop, third base, and in the outfield in 2019.

Sogard has enjoyed a career year at the dish, turning in career-best power numbers and displaying on-base skills that have made him a viable leadoff option for Toronto. In 73 games, He’s posted a .300/.363/.477 slash line to go with ten homers and six stolen bases. Prior to this year, Sogard had never hit more than three home runs in a single season. Defensively, his -5 DRS paint him as a below-average second baseman.

For the Blue Jays, it seems likely that Sogard’s departure will usher in a frenzied couple of days as they look to sell off Major-League pieces before the trade deadline. Marcus Stroman is perhaps the crown jewel of this trade season, and Ken Giles should receive attention from nearly every contending team. Daniel Hudson won’t draw as big a return as the aforementioned pair, but teams that can’t afford big-name relievers could pursue Hudson instead.

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/28/19

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The latest minor moves from around baseball…

  • Former Mets outfielder Matt den Dekker announced his retirement via Instagram, as Tim Healey of Newsday reports. Now 31 years old, den Dekker enjoyed a 10-year professional career, playing in parts of six Major League seasons with the Mets, Nationals, and Tigers. He was a fifth-round selection by the Mets in 2010, and compiled a career .223/.305/.337 batting line with seven home runs. All of us at MLBTR extend our congratulations to den Dekker on his playing career and wish him the best in his future endeavors.
  • The Rays have signed infielder Tyler Ladendorf to a minor-league contract, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The 31-year-old will be sent to Triple-A Durham as infield depth—the Rays currently have four infielders on the injured list. A former second-round pick, Ladendorf last appeared in a Major League game in 2016, when he was with the Athletics. In just 68 plate appearances, he has batted .123/.149/.154.

Rays Trade Ian Gibaut To Rangers

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The Rangers have acquired right-handed pitcher Ian Gibaut from the Rays, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The Rays will receive cash or a player to be named later in return. Gibaut was designated for assignment last week, with today marking the last day for the Rays to make a decision on his future. The Rangers announced that he has been optioned to Triple-A Nashville, while left-handed pitcher Jesse Biddle has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Gibaut has appeared in just one Major League game in his career, but his impressive minor-league track record made him a popular trade target after he was designated. Gibaut, 25 was an 11th-round draft choice of the Rays in 2015, and in four seasons impressed the organization enough to warrant his addition to the 40-man roster prior to this season.

He began the season on the injured list before throwing 12 1/3 innings in Triple-A and earning a promotion to the big leagues. In 2018, Gibaut pitched 56 innings for Triple-A Durham, striking out 75 batters and walking 21. With a record of success at every minor-league level, he looks like a good bet to receive an extended look in the Texas bullpen over the final two months.

Braves, Dodgers, Rays, Jays Pursuing Edwin Diaz

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Just four months into his first season with the Mets, ballyhooed winter acquisition Edwin Diaz has already emerged a potential trade chip amid a disappointing campaign. The Braves, Dodgers, Rays and Blue Jays are among the teams in on the right-handed closer, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. Andy Martino of SNY.tv passes along different information on the Braves, tweeting there’s “no traction” on Diaz to Atlanta.

The fact that Atlanta, Los Angeles and Tampa Bay are rumored to have interest in Diaz isn’t a shock. They’re all contending teams that are known to be in the market for bullpen help. The inclusion of rebuilding Toronto looks especially intriguing on paper, though it’s possible Diaz wouldn’t ever throw a pitch for the Blue Jays. The club could instead acquire Diaz and flip him to the Braves – one of the Mets’ division rivals – for prospects, according to Puma.

It’s the latest creative trade idea involving Diaz, whom the Mets are reportedly considering putting in a package with righty starter Zack Wheeler before Wednesday’s deadline. But whether anyone will even be able to pry Diaz out of New York is up in the air. Diaz was rookie general manager Brodie Van Wagenen’s signature offseason addition, so BVW has predictably indicated it would take an enormous return for the Mets to deal him away so soon.

Van Wagenen, for his part, surrendered two of the game’s top prospects – outfielder Jarred Kelenic and righty Justin Dunn – in a package for Diaz and second baseman Robinson Cano. The Mets also took on $100MM of Cano’s remaining money to get Diaz, but the trade has blown up in the non-contending club’s face so far. The typically great Cano may be deteriorating at the age of 36, while Diaz hasn’t been able to match his otherworldly 2018 swan song in Seattle.

The hard-throwing Diaz arrived in New York as a celebrated bullpen savior after closing 57 of 61 opportunities, posting a 1.96 ERA/1.61 FIP and logging 15.22 K/9 against 2.09 BB/9 in 73 1/3 innings last season. The Mets’ version has been lit up for a 4.81 ERA over 39 1/3 frames and blown as many saves as he did last season (in 35 fewer chances). The home run ball has been a major concern this year for Diaz, who yielded HRs on a career-best 10.6 percent of flies in 2018. That figure has shot to a personal-worst 17.9 percent this season as his groundball numbers have fallen precipitously.

Even factoring in the difficulties Diaz has endured in 2019, there’s plenty to like – including his 97 mph heat, pre-2019 track record and the 3.50 FIP, 13.96 K/9 and 2.97 BB/9 he has logged this season. Diaz has also suffered from poor luck, it seems, evidenced in part by a .407 batting average on balls in play against and a wide gap between the .336 weighted on-base average/.271 xwOBA that hitters have recorded off him.

Diaz may be a prime candidate for a turnaround, which – coupled with his team control – helps make him extremely attractive to the Mets and other clubs. The 25-year-old’s earning just over $600K this season and will go through the first of three potential trips through arbitration over the winter. However, whether he’ll do so as a Met or as a member of another team is now surprisingly in question.

Latest On Noah Syndergaard, Zack Wheeler

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10:35pm: It isn’t definite the Mets will trade Syndergaard, per reports from Anthony DiComo of MLB.com and Anthony Rieber of Newsday, though Rieber adds the club’s “working hard” to move him. The Astros are “pessimistic” about their chances of acquiring Syndergaard, DiComo writes. Meanwhile, it “doesn’t sound like” the Mets and Twins have made headway toward a deal, Martino tweets.

3:58pm: Mets righty Noah Syndergaard has emerged as the perhaps the most talked-about name on the trade market, and his name once again figures to dominate headlines — much as it did in the offseason. Meanwhile, scouts will be watching closely as fellow starter Zack Wheeler takes the hill tonight for his lone pre-deadline showcase start. Here’s the latest on both hurlers …

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Mets are seeking an MLB-ready starter who can step right into the rotation in place of Syndergaard, then some additional high-end prospects after that. The pitcher in question needn’t technically be the headliner in the deal, but presumably the Mets are eyeing a controllable (pre-arbitration) starter as well as premier minor leaguers beyond that point.

That aligns with recent reports from SNY’s Andy Martino (Twitter links), who suggests that the Mets view the Padres, Braves, Dodgers, Rays and Yankees as the best on-paper fits in a deal. The Padres and Braves, in particular, are rich with MLB-ready pitchers in the upper minors, and Sherman lists that pair of organizations as the two that the Mets feel are best-positioned to work out a deal.

Notably, Sherman calls the Astros the “most aggressive” pursuer of Syndergaard, but Houston has seen its top pitching prospects take a step back in 2019. Forrest Whitley (shoulder fatigue) has barely pitched in 2019. Corbin Martin underwent Tommy John surgery. Martino suggests that neither the Astros nor Twins are viewed as prime trade partners — likely because other interested parties have better MLB-ready arms to offer. It was reported this morning that the Twins and Mets have discussed Syndergaard, with the Mets showing particular interest in shortstop Royce Lewis and outfielder Alex Kirilloff.

Looking at the teams the Mets apparently believe to be fits, it’s a bit of an eyebrow-raiser to see the Yankees and Braves listed. The Yankees and Mets haven’t lined up on a trade in more than a decade, and the frequent reports out of New York portraying the contempt that Mets owner Fred Wilpon has toward the Yankees make a deal of this nature seem decidedly unlikely. Meanwhile, trading Syndergaard to a division rival would be difficult for Mets fans to stomach, particularly given that he’s controlled through the 2021 season.

Whether the Houston organization can put together a compelling package for Syndergaard, they’ll have other things to talk about with the Mets front office. The ’Stros are “one of many” teams that have interest in Wheeler, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link). Martino tweets that the Yankees also remain interested in Wheeler and will be watching intently this evening.

Latest On Rays’ Deadline Plans

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Already without burgeoning ace Tyler Glasnow since May, the Rays’ rotation was dealt another serious blow Thursday with the news that reigning AL Cy Young winner Blake Snell will undergo elbow surgery. The arthroscopic procedure will keep the left-hander out for at least four weeks, and it could prove to be a fatal shot to Tampa Bay’s postseason hopes. For now, though, the team remains very much in the wild-card hunt. The Rays trail the Athletics by one game for the AL’s final playoff spot, so they’re still hoping to buy before Wednesday’s trade deadline, general manager Erik Neander told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times after losing Snell.

“The belief we have in this group extends well beyond Blake,’’ Neander said. “As long as they’re able to take care of their business and play to their potential between now and the end of the month, I think we want to do everything we can not to take this season for granted and see if there is a way to help this team in a responsible fashion.’’

Taking care of business has been a struggle of late for the Rays, who have gone 6-8 since the All-Star break. They’ll next head north to face the non-contending Blue Jays three times before trekking to Boston for a crucial series that coincides with the deadline.

Should the Rays play well enough against their two division rivals to convince management to add pieces, the rotation is one obvious place the team could upgrade. Even before Snell went down, the Rays were connected to Tigers left-hander Matthew Boyd and Mets righty Zack Wheeler in the rumor mill (links here). However, they’re not particularly likely to address their starting staff from outside, according to Topkin. If they don’t, Topkin writes that the Rays figure to ride it out with two traditional rotation arms – current Cy Young candidate Charlie Morton and Yonny Chirinos – with Brendan McKay probably returning from the minors in August and openers set to make the other starts.

Elsewhere, the Rays have reportedly shown interest in a few right-handed hitters (the Rangers’ Hunter Pence, the Tigers’ Nicholas Castellanos and the Brewers’ Jesus Aguilar) and several relievers. Perhaps they’ll acquire someone from that group, but regardless, it’s clear the Rays are going to take a judicious approach over the next few days. The club’s sitting what’s likely an insurmountable 9 1/2 games behind the AL East-leading Yankees, meaning it’s vying just for the right to participate in a one-game playoff. Earning one of those two spots would have been a significant challenge with Snell around for the rest of the year. The task now looks much more difficult, but with Tampa Bay still in striking distance, it’s not ready to wave the white flag.

Blake Snell To Undergo Elbow Surgery, Miss At Least Four Weeks

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Rays ace Blake Snell is set to undergo arthroscopic surgery in his left elbow, as per The Athletic’s Josh Tolentino (subscription required).  The procedure will remove some a loose body from Snell’s elbow and will cost the southpaw at least four weeks of action, though he and the Rays “are confident he will pitch again this season.”

While Snell hasn’t been as dominant this year as he was during his Cy Young Award-winning 2018 season, Snell was still posting good numbers.  In fact, as per ERA predictors such as xFIP (3.16 in 2018, 3.23 in 2019) and SIERA (3.30 in 2018, 3.50 in 2019), Snell was pitching just as well this season as he did last year.  An increase in home run rate, however, has ballooned Snell’s ERA to 4.28 this season, plus he hasn’t gotten the strand rate and BABIP benefits that he enjoyed in 2018.

Overall, the left-hander has a 4.28 ERA, 12.1 K/9, and 3.89 K/BB rate over 101 frames this year, and he has been on a particular run of good form over his last four starts.  The Rays have been able to stay competitive in the wild card race even without Snell at the top of his game, so it’s a particularly tough bit of news for the team that Snell will hit the injured list just as he has been getting his season on track.

With Snell out, Charlie Morton now stands as the only full-time healthy starting pitcher on the Tampa Bay roster.  Yonny Chirinos has started most of his appearances but has also worked as a bulk pitcher behind an opener, while Tyler Glasnow is on the IL himself with a forearm problem and there is at least some doubt as to whether he’ll be able to return before season’s end.

Brendan McKay is probably the likeliest candidate to replace Snell, as the two-way star was optioned back to Triple-A last week following an impressive four-start beginning to his MLB career.  McKay has already pitched 86 innings between the minors and big leagues this year, however, and since his previous season-high was only 78 1/3 frames (in 2018), Tampa isn’t likely to push McKay’s arm too much as a long-term answer this year.

In theory, McKay (with some judicious innings-management and some openers picking up the slack) could fill in long enough for Snell to get healthy.  As Tolentino notes, Nathan Eovaldi ended up missing three months after undergoing a similar elbow procedure earlier this season, and while situations obviously vary from player to player, Snell’s four-week recovery timeline shouldn’t be set in stone.

As the trade deadline approaches, the Rays could seek out some pitching help, at least a second-tier veteran arm simply as an innings-eater to bail out the rotation while Snell recovers.  Tampa Bay has been loath, however, to acquire such pitchers over the last two years, preferring to rely on in-house answers and their opener strategy rather than an innings-eater type.  Being in the heat of a postseason race could adjust the Rays’ perspective, of course, particularly if a traditional starter could be had at a relatively low price.  Alternatively, the Rays could also opt to make a big splash for a front-of-the-rotation type of arm, if they’re willing to give up the big prospect package such a hurler would naturally cost.

Rays Interested In Jesus Aguilar

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The Rays, continuing their search for a right-handed slugger, have shown interest in Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar, Mark Feinsand and Juan Toribio of MLB.com report. Tampa Bay was previously connected to other notable right-handed hitters in the Rangers’ Hunter Pence and the Tigers’ Nicholas Castellanos (links: 1, 2).

Unlike Texas and Detroit, Milwaukee doesn’t look like a potential seller going into the July 31 trade deadline. The Brewers are a game back of wild-card position and two behind the first-place Cubs in the National League Central. As such, it’s far from a sure thing the Brewers will trade Aguilar. If they do, it would have to benefit them immediately, per Feinsand and Toribio.

Considering Aguilar hasn’t been the integral piece of the Brewers’ roster that he was during a division-winning 2018, he does look more expendable now than he did at the outset of the season. Aguilar slashed .274/.352/.539 with 35 home runs over 566 plate appearances last year to serve as one of the majors’ fiercest sluggers. That production now looks like a distant memory.

So far this season, Aguilar has hit a meek .230/.328/.385 with eight HRs and a massive drop in ISO (from .264 to .155). The 29-year-old has raked in July (.342/.395/.684 in 43 PA), but it’s the sole month in which Aguilar has registered above-average production at the plate. He and the lefty-swinging Eric Thames, who’s having a much better season, have been platooning at first for the Brew Crew.

For all the faults in Aguilar’s bottom-line production, there are reasons for hope. For one, he remains something of a Statcast favorite. There’s a wide chasm between Aguilar’s weighted-on base average (.312) and expected wOBA (.351). He ranks in the league’s 72nd percentile in xwOBA and checks in similarly well in expected slugging percentage (65th) and exit velocity (66th). And contrary to many other power hitters, Aguilar’s not overly prone to striking out. He has fanned a reasonable 22.9 percent of the time (with a better-than-average 12.3 percent walk rate), posted a decent 11.3 percent swinging-strike rate and chased out-of-zone pitches less than most hitters.

Should the Brewers part with Aguilar, an acquiring team would be landing a player who’s cheap now and under control for a while. Aguilar, currently on a near-minimum salary, is slated to take his first of three potential arbitration trips during the upcoming offseason.

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