- In the weeks leading up to the deadline, various reports have linked the Rangers to several starting pitchers and Brewers backstop Jonathan Lucroy. Rangers president and GM Jon Daniels spoke about that Friday and declared that he’s looking to improve his club’s rotation more than its catcher situation. “We’re a lot more focused on the pitching side,” Daniels told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Rodger Mallison, who writes that the Rangers’ goal is to acquire a starter who’s under control beyond this season.
Rangers Rumors
Rangers Looking At Rich Hill, Catching Upgrade
- The Rangers were in on Drew Pomeranz before his trade to the Red Sox, and they’re in on Rich Hill now that Pomeranz is off the market. The Rangers could also use an upgrade behind the plate, writes Rosenthal, who notes that Jonathan Lucroy would be preferable to Derek Norris, but the latter of the two is available as well. The Rangers, though, “probably do not view” any of the available trade candidates as worthy players to surrender top-tier young talent like Jurickson Profar or Joey Gallo.
Rangers Notes: Teheran, Lucroy, Smith
- As the Rangers continue to browse the shelves of potentially-available starters, the team has at least asked the Braves about Julio Teheran, per SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (Twitter links). That hardly means there’s any real action on the righty, particularly since we’ve seen Texas tied to a whole host of starters in recent weeks. Cotillo also hears that the Rangers have had talks with the Brewers on catcher Jonathan Lucroy and southpaw Will Smith, though Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel tweets that the chatter “went nowhere.” All told, it still seems that the Texas front office is canvassing possibilities with the deadline a few weeks off.
Rangers Sign Alexei Bell
JULY 15: The Rangers announced that they have signed Bell to a minor league contract.
JULY 5: The Rangers are nearing a minor league deal with free agent Alexei Bell, according to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (via Twitter). The 32-year-old outfielder hit the open market after leaving his native Cuba in search of a big league opportunity.
Bell owns an impressive track record in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, where he played for 14 seasons. In 3,441 career plate appearances, he owns a .319/.417/.547 batting line with 138 home runs. He was still running up those kinds of numbers in his final year of action there in 2014, and has top-notch plate discipline with a lifetime tally of 431 walks against just 439 strikeouts.
Since that time, Bell has spent time playing in Canada and, more recently, Mexico. He wasn’t doing much at the plate in a nine-game run with Quintana Roo earlier this year, though it’s hard to read too much into the results in such a short sample for a player who hadn’t played competitively in some time.
Despite his previous success, Bell hasn’t generated much buzz as a free agent. As Ben Badler of Baseball America explains, Bell owns a big arm that ought to work in right. But he doesn’t deliver premium power and isn’t a good runner. While he would have made for a really interesting prospect earlier in his career, Badler says that scouts aren’t optimistic about his potential to be a major contributor at this stage.
Despite those limitations, it’s not at all surprising to see a club take a shot on a veteran who has such an impressive track record. Whether or not he’ll earn a shot at the majors remains to be seen.
Heyman’s Latest: Hosmer, Corbin, O’s, Astros, Brewers, Rangers
Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports covers a lot of ground in his latest Inside Baseball column, beginning with a look at the Royals and the closing window of Kansas City’s core players (Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas). Hosmer is controllable through 2017, and while the Royals would love to keep him in K.C. forever, Heyman writes that Royals brass feels Hosmer and agent Scott Boras could seek $20MM+ on a 10-year deal. Those numbers may sound jarring for Hosmer, especially in light of Brandon Belt’s $79MM price tag this offseason, but a pair of GMs to whom Heyman spoke invoked contractual comparisons of Jason Heyward and Jacoby Ellsbury when looking ahead to Hosmer’s market. Hosmer will be entering his age-28 season when he hits the free-agent market, so he’ll certainly have youth on his side in addition to consistently improving performance.
More from the lengthy column…
- While the Diamondbacks have received trade interest in left-hander Patrick Corbin, GM Dave Stewart bluntly tells Heyman that he is “not moving Corbin.” Moving Corbin right now would be selling exceptionally low on a highly talented left-hander in the midst of a down season; Corbin looked like a budding star with the D-backs in 2013 and barely missed a beat in 2015 when returning from 2014 Tommy John surgery, but he’s currently sporting a 4.94 ERA on the season.
- The Orioles continue to hunt for starting pitching and have looked at Rich Hill and also checked in on Drew Pomeranz prior to his trade to the Red Sox. Baltimore, though, is pretty low on top-end prospects, which could make it difficult to submit the best offer for Hill, who’s been in high demand this summer.
- Astros right-hander Scott Feldman is available in trades, according to Heyman, and some rival executives believe that Houston would be open to moving Pat Neshek and Josh Fields despite their recent surge back into the division race. Feldman has handled a shift to the bullpen with aplomb and is currently sporting a 2.56 ERA with an improved 6.2 K/9 against 2.2 BB/9 and a 47.6 percent ground-ball rate in 52 2/3 innings. He’s earning $8MM in the final season of a front-loaded three-year, $30MM contract. Neshek has a $7.8MM club option for the 2017 season ($500K buyout) and has a strong 2.54 ERA, though metrics like FIP, xFIP and SIERA all feel he’s been fortunate to post that mark this season. Fields is the opposite, with strong peripherals laying underneath an unsightly 6.89 ERA. He’s controllable through 2018.
- There “hasn’t been much buzz lately” when it comes to the potential trades of Brewers stars Jonathan Lucroy and Ryan Braun, per Heyman, who notes that Lucroy again voiced at the All-Star festivities that he’d like to play for a contending club. Heyman adds that relievers Will Smith and Jeremy Jeffress figure to draw plenty of interest, though there’s no firm indication that Milwaukee is open to dealing either of those controllable bullpen cogs.
- A club that spoke to the Rangers about trades came away with the impression that Joey Gallo isn’t very attainable. Gallo hasn’t been definitively mentioned as a trade candidate, but there’s been plenty of speculation about whether he could be included in a win-now move for the Rangers, especially in the wake of Adrian Beltre’s extension earlier this season. Heyman adds that the Rangers have investigated “basically all available starters,” which lines up with reports from recent weeks linking them to the likes of Ervin Santana, Pomeranz, Jake Odorizzi, Matt Moore and others.
Latest On Extension Talks Between Rangers, Rougned Odor
The Rangers and second bagger Rougned Odor are tabling extension talks for the time being after failing to reach agreement, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag Sports. Texas had offered him something on the order of Gregory Polanco’s deal with the Pirates — i.e., around $35MM over five future seasons, with a pair of club options at the end.
That kind of deal puts real money in a player’s pocket, but obviously gives an organization immense upside — as Polanco’s own breakout has demonstrated. Both players are clients of Beverly Hills Sports Council, and it’s certainly arguable that they are similarly valuable assets as promising young talents in the 1+ service class.
But Odor evidently isn’t as motivated to get a deal done. He is still just 22 years of age, meaning he is on track to hit the free agent market at 27. Heyman says that Odor does have real interest in striking a bargain, and had made a counter-offer, but wasn’t interested in giving up the two option years to get something done.
The sides are likely to revisit the matter, per the report. Certainly, there’s no rush given that Odor is under control through 2020. But he’s obviously willing to bet on his talent, and Texas is no doubt aware that the price is likely only rising.
Odor’s on-base numbers are lagging a bit thus far in 2016, as he sits under .300 at the All-Star break, but he has mostly made up for that with some big-time pop. Over 348 plate appearances, he’s already matched last year’s 16-homer tally and owns a .491 slugging percentage. Odor has also set a career high with seven steals. Both his walk and strikeout rates are headed in the wrong direction, though, so there’s certainly room for improvement.
Rangers Among 10 Teams With Interest In Drew Pomeranz
JULY 13: As many as 10 teams have reached out to show interest in Pomeranz, Lin writes in an updated piece. Rival executives have suggested to Lin that the Padres are actively looking to move Pomeranz, although he notes that could be a matter of perception as opposed to an accurate representation of the Padres’ genuine interests. Changes to Pomeranz’s pitch mix in 2016 have some scouts convinced that his breakout is sustainable, Lin adds.
JULY 12: The Rangers are interested in Padres lefty Drew Pomeranz and have “done background work” on him, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal also notes that the Rangers have considered many pitchers who seem to be available. Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that he hears the same: Texas has indeed kicked the tires on Pomeranz. Lin points out that the Rangers originally drafted Pomeranz as a high schooler, but the lefty elected to go to college rather than sign as a 12th-round pick in 2007. Nonetheless, the Rangers have followed his big league career closely, Lin writes.
Pomeranz has lately been connected to the Red Sox, Orioles and Marlins, and the Padres have reportedly not ruled out dealing him. Two weeks ago, MLBTR’s staff weighed the pros and cons of a Pomeranz deal from the Padres’ perspective, with several MLBTR writers suggesting the Padres should consider keeping him, since he’s under control through 2018 (which means they’ll have opportunities to deal him in the future), and since trade partners might not pay a premium for him given his lack of a track record as a proven workhorse. Given the Padres’ struggles and Pomeranz’s strong season (2.47 ERA, 10.1 K/9, 3.6 BB/9), though, it’s easy to see why San Diego would at least consider dealing him.
Of course, just because the Padres will consider moving Pomeranz doesn’t mean that they’re actively shopping him. Within Lin’s piece above, he notes that Padres sources have previously told him that Pomeranz won’t be traded for anything less than a “substantial” return. He adds that GM A.J. Preller is quite infatuated with Rangers infielder Jurickson Profar, though it’s far from clear that the Rangers would entertain that type of swap. Profar has looked sharp in his return from a pair of season-ending shoulder injuries and is controllable for three years beyond this season, compared to Pomeranz’s two years of remaining control. If Profar is off limits, Preller undoubtedly possesses plenty of familiarity with alternative young talent; the second-year Padres general manager previously spent a decade working in the Texas front office and rising to the rank of assistant GM before being hired away by San Diego.
The Rangers have already reportedly shown interest in rotation options like Jake Odorizzi, Ervin Santana and Matt Moore, so it comes as no surprise that they would look into Pomeranz as well. The team currently has starters Yu Darvish, Derek Holland and Colby Lewis on its DL (although Darvish appears close to returning). The team has lately relied upon rotation options like Kyle Lohse, Cesar Ramos, Nick Martinez and Chi Chi Gonzalez, frequently with poor results.
Rosenthal On Lucroy, Rangers
- An unusually high number of scouts (18) recently took in a Class-A Rookie League Game for the Rangers, leading FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal to wonder if a trade is on the way. Specifically, the Rangers and Brewers could match up in a deal for catcher Jonathan Lucroy, Rosenthal suggests, with a scout informing him that Milwaukee has been observing Texas’ system. Brewers general manager David Stearns has not been averse to acquiring teenage prospects in the past, writes Rosenthal, who lists 17-year-old outfielder Leody Taveras and 18-year-old shortstop Anderson Tejada as a couple of the Rangers’ top Arizona League players. The Rangers have drawn connections since the offseason to Lucroy, an All-Star backstop who’s signed for cheap through next season.
- The Yankees’ playoffs odds at FanGraphs sit at a measly 7.5 percent, which Joel Sherman of the New York Post cites while arguing that it would be “terrible business” for the .500 team to retain lefty closer Aroldis Chapman past the Aug. 1 trade deadline. With World Series contenders like the Cubs, Rangers and Nationals looking to augment their bullpens, Sherman believes the Yankees are in prime position to orchestrate a bidding war for Chapman, whom they acquired from the Reds for an underwhelming group of prospects over the winter. Chapman was then dealing with a troubling domestic violence incident off the field, but he served a month-long suspension to begin the year and has continued dominating on the mound since. Even if the Yankees do trade Chapman, that wouldn’t preclude them from making a push to re-sign the pending free agent in the offseason, Sherman points out.
The Best Minor League Signings Of 2016
Minor league deals often go unnoticed or are met with an eye roll from fans — the ever-witty “Championship!” comments abound following such deals — and more often than not, they end up as inconsequential moves that are quickly forgotten. Each year, though, a handful of minor league signings yield legitimate value for their new clubs. With the more than half of the season in the books and the All-Star break upon us, enough of the season has passed that we can discern which minor league deals have yielded the most significant dividends in 2016…
Position Players
- Robbie Grossman, Twins: Grossman wasn’t an offseason minor league signing, but he inked a minors pact with the Twins in mid-May and was brought up to the big leagues almost immediately thereafter. Since arriving in Minneapolis, he’s seen regular playing time and enjoyed the most productive stretch of his career. The switch-hitter is batting .289/.421/.465 with six homers and 10 doubles over the life of 195 plate appearances and has walked at an incredible 18.5 percent clip. Defensive metrics are way down on his work in left field, but the bat has been good enough that Fangraphs pegs him at a strong 1.1 WAR thus far. He’s controllable for another four seasons as well.
- Matt Joyce, Pirates: Joyce’s 2015 season with the Angels was awful, but he’s more productive on a per-plate-appearance basis in 2016 than he ever has been before. He’s been heavily platooned, as usual, and has posted an excellent .295/.420/.558 batting line with eight homers in 157 plate appearances as the Pirates’ fourth outfielder. He, too, has drawn poor marks from UZR and DRS, but he’s been productive enough at the plate that he won’t be settling for a minor league contract again this winter.
- Dae-ho Lee, Mariners: Lee didn’t generate as much interest as countryman Byung Ho Park, but he’s been the better player of the two thus far. Through 188 plate appearances, the former KBO and NPB star is hitting .288/.330/.514 with a dozen homers and four doubles. He’s been platooned quite a bit himself, but his numbers against righties are actually a bit better than his still-strong production against lefties.
Pitchers
- Fernando Abad, Twins: Some of the shine has worn off from Abad’s early dominance, as he’s yielded seven runs in his past six outings. In spite of that slump, though, Abad boasts a 2.83 ERA with 8.2 K/9, 4.1 BB/9 and a 46.7 percent ground-ball rate. He’s pitched 28 2/3 innings for the Twins and could be a trade chip this summer. He’s controllable through the 2017 campaign, which adds to his appeal.
- Matt Belisle, Nationals: A strained calf has limited Belisle to 19 innings with the Nats this season, but he’s been terrific when healthy. The veteran right-hander has a 2.37 ERA with 16 strikeouts against four walks (two intentional) with a 41.1 percent ground-ball rate in D.C. He’s helped to stabilize what has been a vastly improved Nationals bullpen in 2016.
- Ryan Buchter, Padres: The 29-year-old has been brilliant for San Diego in 2016, logging 38 innings with a 2.61 ERA and averaging 13 strikeouts per nine innings. He has some control issues, averaging five walks per nine as well, but he’s missed so many bats that the free passes haven’t hurt him often. He’d only thrown one big league inning prior to this season, so San Diego can control him for six years if he can maintain this breakout. (Apologies for leaving Buchter off the initial list; he was added to the 40-man back in January, which caused me to incorrectly remember him as a Major League signee.)
- Matt Bush, Rangers: That Bush even made it to a Major League mound after the trajectory his career took is astonishing on its own, but his performance thus far with the Rangers has been excellent as well. The 30-year-old has a 2.49 ERA with 8.9 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 37.1 percent ground-ball rate through 25 1/3 innings out of the Rangers’ bullpen. With Shawn Tolleson’s 2016 struggles and a three-month stay on the disabled list for Keone Kela, Bush’s emergence has been critical for Texas.
- Dillon Gee, Royals: Gee’s 4.11 ERA isn’t exactly flashy, but he’s provided 57 serviceable innings in 13 relief appearances and five starts for the Royals. And, with Chris Young shifting to the bullpen, Gee could continue to get some starts for Kansas City following the All-Star break. The Royals can hang onto him for another season via the arbitration process, as well.
- Brandon Kintzler, Twins: The former Brewers right-hander has found himself in the closer role for the Twins following an injury to Glen Perkins and a disastrous season for Kevin Jepsen. Kintlzer doesn’t miss bats (5.5 K/9), but he’s walked just two batters in 26 innings and has posted an exceptional 64.2 percent ground-ball rate en route to a 2.42 ERA. Like his bullpen-mate Abad, Kintzler is controllable through the 2017 season and could be appealing to clubs in need of relief help.
- Chien-Ming Wang, Royals: Wang’s improved velocity was a big storyline in Spring Training, but he’s settled in at an average of 91.6 mph, which is right in line with his career mark in that regard. The 36-year-old’s sinker isn’t generating grounders like it used to, but he’s still managed a 3.68 ERA with 5.9 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 46.2 percent ground-ball rate in 36 2/3 innings with the reigning World Series champions this year.
Rangers Expected To Pursue Late-Game Bullpen Options
- The Nationals, Giants and Rangers are the three teams “poised to be most aggressive in pursuit of late-inning relief help” in the opinion of rival evaluators, ESPN’s Buster Olney writes (subscription required). The latter two clubs aren’t a surprise given how injuries and ineffectiveness have hampered both the San Francisco and Texas bullpens, but the Nats entered today with the fourth-lowest bullpen ERA (3.15) of any club in baseball. Despite good results overall, closer Jonathan Papelbon has outperformed his peripheral stats and seen a velocity drop, so Washington could be looking to make a midseason closer addition for the second straight year. All three teams have been linked to Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller if and when the Yankees make their star relievers available.
