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Rangers Not Ruling Out Free Agent Starters

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The Rangers’ free-agent additions to the rotation this winter consisted of Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross, but following a setback for Cashner in his bout with biceps tendinitis, neither of those right-handers will be ready for Opening Day.  In light of that news, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan reports that the Rangers aren’t ruling out the addition of a free-agent starter (Twitter links). More specifically, he adds that some club officials admitted to him that they’re missing right-hander Colby Lewis. Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets something similar, noting that the Rangers aren’t sure where Lewis is at from a training standpoint but adding that it “sounds like he’s entered their thinking.”

The 37-year-old Lewis, who has spent the past seven seasons in the Rangers organization, and the 33-year-old Doug Fister are the two most prominent names remaining among unsigned free agents. Others that are available include Edwin Jackson (who reportedly didn’t impress Texas at a February workout), Jake Peavy (who is not ready to sign due to personal reasons) and Jerome Williams.

Lewis is obviously a known commodity for the Texas front office, having racked up 997 2/3 innings with the Rangers dating back to the 2010 season — his first back in the Majors following a stint in Japan that saved his career. Last season saw Lewis turn in a 3.72 ERA with 5.7 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and a 34.1 percent ground-ball rate in 116 1/3 innings of work. A strained lat muscle cost Lewis nearly three months of the year, and when he returned to action in mid-September, the results were hardly encouraging; in four starts to close out the season, Lewis yielded 17 runs (13 earned) on 22 hits and nine walks with 12 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings.

As for Fister, the right-hander gave the Astros 180 1/3 innings of work last year — his highest innings count since the 2013 season — but wasn’t able to recover much of the missing life on his fastball. Fister averaged just 87 mph on his heater last year and has averaged 86.7 mph on the pitch over the past two seasons combined. The results, as one might expect, haven’t been great. In 283 1/3 innings between the Nationals and Astros, Fister has worked to a 4.48 ERA with 5.7 K/9 against 2.7 BB/9 while his ground-ball rate has dipped from 54 percent to 45 percent. And if one were to eliminate the 10 solid relief appearances he made in 2015 after losing his rotation spot, his ERA as a starter over the past two campaigns checks in at 4.63.

That’s a fair amount of doom and gloom, but the fact is that each pitcher comes with a lengthy track record in the Majors and could help to deepen the Rangers’ pitching staff. Either could potentially serve as a stopgap until one or both of Cashner and Ross is ready, and it’s certainly plausible that either could rebound as well. Lewis was sharp prior to hitting the DL with the aforementioned lat injury last season. Fister is still just 33 years old and made 32 starts last season, suggesting that there’s still plenty left in the tank, even if his velocity isn’t what it once was.

Yu Darvish, Cole Hamels and Martin Perez are locks in the Texas rotation as it stands, but the team’s other options behind that trio include a less-inspiring mix of A.J. Griffin, Chi Chi Gonzalez, Nick Martinez, Tyler Wagner, Eddie Gamboa and non-roster invite Dillon Gee.

Rangers Send Andrew Faulkner To Minor-League Camp

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Cashner Still Not Cleared To Throw Off Mound

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  • With Opening Day just four weeks away, Rangers right-hander Andrew Cashner has not yet progressed to throwing off a mound, tweets Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Cashner is currently playing catch from 85 to 90 feet, but he’s been slowed this spring by tendinitis in his right biceps. The 30-year-old inked a one-year, $10MM contract with Texas this offseason and had been penciled into the back of the team’s rotation, but if he’s delayed much further, Opening Day could certainly be a question mark for Cashner. A.J. Griffin, Chi Chi Gonzalez, Nick Martinez, Eddie Gamboa and Dillon Gee are among the Rangers’ candidates to round out the rotation; Yohander Mendez and Connor Sadzeck were both optioned to Triple-A today, per a club announcement.

Jon Daniels On Jurickson Profar, Joey Gallo

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So far during their brief major league careers, Jurickson Profar and Joey Gallo have not lived up to the hype they received as prospects, and Rangers general manager Jon Daniels doesn’t believe the organization has put either player in proper position to succeed. “Don’t hold it against these players,” Daniels told Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com. “That’s on us. We promoted them aggressively because they were advanced in a lot of ways, and when you get to Triple-A at age 19 or 20 years old and reach the big leagues at 20 or 21, that’s unusual. The guys that hit and perform immediately are on the fast track to the Hall of Fame discussion.” Considering they’re only entering their age-24 seasons, there’s certainly still time for Profar and Gallo to establish themselves in the infield or outfield. Texas, for its part, remain bullish on the pair. “The talent and the instincts haven’t gone anywhere,” Daniels noted. With their farm system having thinned out recently and several of their top players on the wrong side of 30, the Rangers have a lot riding on the development of Profar and Gallo, posits Crasnick.

More from the AL:

  • The Astros’ success this year figures to largely hinge on the bounce-back abilities of their top starters, 2015 Cy Young-winning southpaw Dallas Keuchel and right-hander Lance McCullers Jr., who endured injury-shortened campaigns last season. Keuchel, who hasn’t started since Aug. 27 on account of shoulder inflammation, could be ready for game action during the upcoming week, reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Thanks to elbow problems, McCullers’ latest start came Aug. 2, though he’s also on the right track now. The 23-year-old threw 43 pitches in live batting practice Saturday and will make his Grapefruit League debut Thursday.
  • Red Sox skipper John Farrell indicated Sunday that reliever Fernando Abad will put himself in a less-than-ideal position by leaving the team to pitch for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, per Jen McCaffrey of MassLive.com. “You love the fact that his country looks upon him as a guy to contribute for the WBC,” said Farrell. “He’s pitched four times; there’s been early-camp mixed results, which are not uncommon. But in those positions of competing for a spot, you’d like to think that a guy’s going to be here to make that mark here. He’s aware of his status on the roster competing for a spot. When he returns, it’s constant evaluating that’s going on.” Abad’s battling for a spot on the team with fellow left-hander Robby Scott, whom Farrell complimented Sunday, and his shaky spring has come on the heels of a disappointing showing with Boston in 2016. After the Red Sox acquired Abad from the Twins at the trade deadline, he allowed nine earned runs on 13 hits and eight walks in 12 2/3 innings. It’s worth noting that Abad’s $2MM salary for 2017 won’t become fully guaranteed until Opening Day, so his place in the organization could be in jeopardy.
  • Another Red Sox reliever, offseason acquisition Tyler Thornburg, also hasn’t enjoyed a great spring thus far, as John Tomase of WEEI writes. Having yielded nine earned runs on seven hits in 1 1/3 frames, the righty will stay away from game action for the next few days as he attempts to fix his mechanics. “It’s been more timing in his delivery,” Farrell observed. “He’s out of sync right now. His body is drifting to the plate too quick, you see a number of pitches left up of the strike zone up to his arm-side. To see him hit a guy the other day with a changeup, that just says his timing right now needs a lot of work.”  Boston sent three players to Milwaukee for Thornburg, who was among the game’s premier relievers last year.
  • The elbow MRI that Tigers reliever Adam Ravenelle underwent after leaving the team’s game Saturday didn’t show any structural damage, according to manager Brad Ausmus (via Evan Woodbery of MLive.com). “He’ll get a second opinion to be safe, but they don’t think it’s anything major. I’m sure he feels better about it, more than anyone else, having been through surgery already,” said Ausmus, referring to the ulnar nerve procedure Ravenelle underwent in 2012. Baseball America ranks the 24-year-old as Detroit’s No. 8 prospect.

Latest On Extension Talks Between Rangers, Rougned Odor

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MARCH 4: There’s a “decent-sized gap” between the Rangers and Odor, who have exchanged proposals, and the team is likely to submit a counteroffer soon, according to Heyman.

FEBRUARY 27: Odor’s reps met today with Rangers GM Jon Daniels, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). There’s still no word as to how discussions are progressing, but clearly they are ongoing at this point.

FEBRUARY 23, 4:15pm: Whatever talks have taken place to this point don’t appear to advance to the point where Odor himself has been presented with an offer or a concept, as the infielder himself tells MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan (Twitter link) that he “[doesn’t] know anything.”

8:40am: The Rangers and the reps for second baseman Rougned Odor have undertaken renewed efforts to reach agreement on a long-term deal, according to a report from Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. It’s not clear just how likely it is that the sides will see eye to eye, but Heyman says there’s “at least a bit of hope.”

Last we checked in, early last fall, the sides had stalled out in talks over the size of the guarantee and number of option years that the club would pick up. Now, Odor stands one season away from reaching arbitration eligibility, perhaps adding impetus to the club’s effort.

Indeed, Texas appears to be making a significant push to get something done. The club is “believed to have offered something in the range of” the extension reached between Jason Kipnis and the Indians at the outset of the 2014 season. That six-year deal promised Kipnis $52.5MM and came with a single club option. At the time, the Cleveland second baseman was also a 2+ service class player who had not reached Super Two eligibility, putting him in the same position as Odor. (Interestingly, as Heyman notes, both are also represented by the large Beverly Hills Sports Council agency.)

Of course, that deal is now a few years old. And one could argue that Odor ought to earn more, based largely upon his age. Kipnis was entering his age-27 season at the time of his deal, while Odor only just turned 23. On the other hand, Kipnis was coming off of a monster season — his second straight as a 3+ WAR regular — while Odor has a somewhat less-established track record. While he drove 33 long balls last year, Odor also failed even to crack the .300 OBP barrier and drew poor metrics for his glovework.

It’s an interesting standoff, all things considered. Odor’s early lock on a regular job and sizable home run tallies give him significant arbitration earning power, while his young age holds the promise of free-agent riches to come. Those factors surely have driven the price northward on a deal, despite the fact that Odor has yet to put up a complete season approaching the All-Star campaign of Kipnis in 2013. That the Rangers are still pushing to get something done indicates that the team feels there’s still growth left in his game, though undoubtedly there are limits to what the team will spend.

Heyman’s Latest: Nationals, Alvarez, Cubs, CarGo, Yankees, Colome

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The latest notes column from Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports kicks off with an extremely early look at the potential market for Bryce Harper in two years, with Heyman listing the Yankees, Nationals and Phillies as teams that many within the industry think will vie for the 2015 NL MVP in free agency. The in-depth look at Harper focuses on the 24-year-old’s improved clubhouse demeanor and maturity in recent years and also adds more fuel to the rumors that Harper played part of the 2016 season through a shoulder injury that he’s reluctant to discuss. Heyman also touches base on Derek Norris later in the column, noting that there may be a better chance that Norris is simply released than traded. Washington agreed to a $4.25MM salary with Norris to avoid arbitration, but because arb contracts aren’t fully guaranteed, they could cut Norris before March 15 and only pay him 30 days termination pay — about $688K, by my math.

Some highlights from a lengthy look at all 30 teams around the league…

  • Pedro Alvarez still has fans in the Orioles’ front office, per Heyman, but there’s been “no evidence” of renewed contact between the two sides. The Twins talked to Alvarez’s camp at one point but haven’t been in touch recently, and while Rangers manager Jeff Banister is fond of Alvarez dating back to the pair’s days in Pittsburgh, there’s nothing to suggest the two sides could strike a deal.
  • The Cubs met with Scott Boras recently and discussed Jake Arrieta, but there was “no traction” in talks between the two sides. Heyman paints a similar picture to the one that has surrounded extension rumors with Arrieta for the past several months; the Cubs would be amenable to a three- or four-year deal, but Arrieta and Boras are targeting something more along the lines of Max Scherzer’s seven-year, $210MM contract. Heyman also notes that the Cubs made a play for right-hander Brad Ziegler this winter before he inked a two-year deal with the Marlins.
  • Extension talks between the Rockies and Carlos Gonzalez are “on hold” for the time being. The team tried to explore talks with Gonzalez (another Boras client) recently, but with free agency just a few months away, hammering out a new deal has long seemed unlikely (and, I’d argue, unnecessary from the Rockies’ vantage point, given the plethora of outfield options in Denver).
  • After spending a combined $99MM on Matt Holliday and Aroldis Chapman at the Winter Meetings in early December, Yankees GM Brian Cashman was told he only had $4MM to work with over the remainder of the winter, Heyman reports. That level of cash prevented the Yanks from luring targets like Travis Wood and Jerry Blevins to the Bronx but did prove to be enough to buy Chris Carter (and perhaps Jon Niese, who inked a minor league deal). Cashman also tells Heyman that he did receive trade offers for Brett Gardner, but the offers simply weren’t enticing.
  • Rays closer Alex Colome was oft-rumored to have drawn trade interest last summer and earlier this offseason, though Heyman writes that the Nationals wouldn’t part with top outfield prospect Victor Robles in order to acquire him. Colome was outstanding in his first season in the ninth inning last year, logging 56 2/3 innings with a 1.91 ERA, 11.3 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 47.1 percent ground-ball rate. The 28-year-old hasn’t even reached arbitration yet and is controllable through the 2020 season, so if he does eventually emerge as a potential trade chip, the asking price from the Tampa Bay front office would likely be deemed exorbitant by many clubs.

Cashner Shut Down Due To Biceps Tendinitis

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  • Rangers right-hander Andrew Cashner has been shut down due to biceps tendinitis in his right arm, writes Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. For the time being, the team doesn’t believe that Cashner’s arm troubles will jeopardize his availability for the start of the season, but the offseason signee will be evaluated by team doctor Keith Meister on Friday before further determination is made. Cashner inked a one-year, $10MM deal with the Rangers this offseason in hopes of rebounding and reentering next year’s market with improved earning capacity.

AL West Notes: Jeffress, Gomez, Castro

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Here’s the latest out of the American League West:

  • The Rangers are bringing several pitchers along slowly this spring, as T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. In most cases, there’s no particular concern driving the approach, but reliever Jeremy Jeffress has been slowed by a sore right shoulder. Jeffress has yet to make his competitive spring debut, though he’s still throwing bullpen sessions and says it’s not a significant injury.
  • Meanwhile, Carlos Gomez talked about his decision to return to the Rangers, as Richard Justice of MLB.com writes, calling it an easy decision. “I hope I can stay here and finish my career,” he said. “I feel loyal to them. They picked me up when I was on the ground. That’s something me and my family will always be thankful for.” Texas was willing to take a no-risk chance at Gomez last year due in part to the voucher of just-acquired veteran Carlos Beltran; now, the club has seen enough to stake a considerably larger bet after landing him on a one-year, $11.5MM deal.
  • Righty Simon Castro is making a strong impression in camp with the Athletics, as MLB.com’s Jane Lee reports. Castro, who’ll soon turn 29, brings an unusual amount of pep to the mound, which has earned the praise of manager Bob Melvin. Though he has just 17 MLB innings under his belt, Castro is coming off of a strong 2016 season in which he pitched to a 3.38 ERA with 9.8 K/9 against 2.0 BB/9 over 53 1/3 Triple-A frames with the Rockies organization.

AL West Notes: Darvish, Dyson, Harris, Zych

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports took a close look at Rangers third base coach Tony Beasley’s battle with cancer last year. It’s an interesting read that highlights Beasley’s remarkable attitude and his relationship with the club even while undergoing treatment.

Here’s more from the AL West:

  • The Rangers “would love” to find accord with righty Yu Darvish on a new contract, owner Ray Davis told reporters including Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (links to Twitter). Davis did note, though, that the club is already at record spending levels and wants to stay beneath the luxury tax line. That doesn’t appear to be a significant limiting factor at this point, and certainly the owner didn’t delve into many details, but it seems as if Texas will have its limits in contract talks with the staff ace.
  • Meanwhile, the Rangers are keeping an eye on late-inning righty Sam Dyson, who is dealing with a slight wrist injury. As Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports on Twitter, Dyson suffered a sprain upon falling, though it doesn’t seem as if it’s a major issue. The reliever has already begun throwing.
  • Astros righty Will Harris left his appearance today upon experiencing groin discomfort, as MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart tweets. But the issue isn’t believed to be a serious one, with Harris expressing a lack of concern. Harris, 32, inked a two-year deal over the winter that could prove to be quite a bargain for the club if he can maintain anything approaching his excellent 2016 effort.
  • Mariners righty Tony Zych will take the bump today for the first time this spring, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times tweets. Zych will be looking to reestablish himself after an injury-plagued 2016 season in which he struggled with control when he was healthy. He’s working back from a shoulder procedure, and seems unlikely to be ready by Opening Day, but could give the M’s another live arm if he can get back to full health.

Josh Hamilton Undergoes Knee Surgery

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The Rangers told reporters today that Josh Hamilton will be sidelined following arthroscopic surgery to repair the cartilage in his left knee (Twitter link via Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News). Hamilton won’t be able to begin running for six weeks, and any potential return to a game setting figures to be further down the road than that. Hamilton’s ACL, which was surgically repaired last June, did not have any damage. MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan tweets that Hamilton will be out “well into the season,” but adds that there’s been no talk of him calling it a career just yet.

The 35-year-old Hamilton was in camp with the Rangers as a non-roster invitee and was hopeful of securing a roster spot as an option for Texas at first base, though this latest setback raises significantly more doubt about his ability to return to a Major League field. The previously mentioned surgery to repair Hamilton’s ACL also included a meniscus repair, and this new operation represents the fourth procedure on his left knee since returning to Texas.

Hamilton hasn’t played in the Majors since the conclusion of the 2015 campaign. His last work in the bigs resulted in a .253/.291/.441 batting line over the life of 182 plate appearances. The 2017 season is technically the final year of the five-year, $125MM contract he signed with the Angels in the 2012-13 offseason. Anaheim remains on the hook for the vast majority of that deal, as the Rangers were only picking up $2MM of his salary on an annual basis following the deal.

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