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Yankees “Gauging” Trade Interest In Brian McCann

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2:52pm: Unsurprisingly, there are numerous obstacles to any deal, particularly with the Braves, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter links). In particular, Atlanta isn’t keen to take over the entire remaining salary, while New York not only doesn’t wish to hold onto financial obligations but also wants “real prospects” in a swap.

As David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes on Twitter, the Braves should be able to land a catcher via free agency at that kind of salary (or, quite likely, less) given the relative abundance of players at the position hitting the market. The team would not only stand to find a younger player, albeit on a longer commitment, but wouldn’t have to give up prospects to get it done.

12:30pm: The Yankees are talking with other clubs about catcher Brian McCann, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. Jonathan Lucroy and Derek Norris have garnered the lion’s share of the rumors of late, but it seems that New York at least wants to know what kind of trade interest the market holds for its own veteran receiver.

While it’s far from likely that any deal will get done, McCann is available because the Yanks feel good about their options behind him, Heyman explains. Current reserve Austin Romine may be deserving of a longer look, and top prospect Gary Sanchez has shown plenty of bat against Triple-A pitching.

The Yankees are surely also curious whether it would be possible to get out from under some of McCann’s remaining contract. He’s owed $17MM a year through 2018, which is right at the top of the market for catching salaries. Still, MLBTR’s Steve Adams included him among the potentially-available trade candidates behind the dish. McCann does have a no-trade clause, it’s also important to note.

Trouble is, McCann hasn’t played quite at his former levels since coming to New York. He has still produced at a league-average rate with the bat, carrying a .233/.310/.423 batting line with better than twenty long balls per year, but that’s not what the Yankees thought they were signing up for three years ago. After all, the former Braves stalwart owned a .277/.350/.473 slash over his nine years in Atlanta.

Now 32, McCann is also not as celebrated behind the plate as he once was. Certainly, the $34MM left on the deal after this season looks rather steep. But that doesn’t mean the Yankees aren’t fielding interest. Per Heyman, via Twitter, it is “believed” that both the Braves and Rangers have chatted with the Yankees about a possible move for McCann.

Atlanta is looking for a solution behind the dish, and while it surely won’t give up much to add the veteran, it’s easy to see the connection given his roots with the Braves and the desire to drum up interest with a new ballpark on the horizon. Texas would represent a more typical buyer, but may not be a perfect fit given the organization’s reportedly-limited financial flexibility — unless the sides were able to work out some form of salary swap. McCann’s left-handed bat would surely be of interest, and he’d form an interesting combination with Robinson Chirinos.

At this point, though, it’s certainly all hypothetical, as we haven’t seen any reason to suggest that there’s any momentum toward a deal.

Position Player Notes: Beltran, Norris, Pearce, Jay

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The Indians have had some talks with the Yankees about veteran right fielder Carlos Beltran, among other players, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). Though Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti has previously stated that financial considerations won’t be a major factor in the team’s deadline moves, Heyman suggests that may not be the case. Beltran is earning $15MM this year, with about $5.5MM left to go the rest of the way.

  • Another American League contender, the Rangers, have also approached the Yankees on Beltran, per MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan (via Twitter). While Texas could certainly decide to plug a big bat onto its roster with Prince Fielder down for the year, it seems that its interest in Beltran isn’t terribly strong at present.
  • We’ve heard chatter suggesting that the Rangers could look at Jonathan Lucroy, but Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says that’s not likely (Twitter link). Padres receiver Derek Norris, though, could be in play for Texas, per the report. That’s not exactly a new link — the sides were said to be weighing a deal this spring — but we haven’t seen clear indications of present interest.
  • While the Mets like Steve Pearce, the cost of acquisition is too high at present, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick tweets. The veteran slugger would certainly add some punch to a moribund Mets lineup, though he wouldn’t address the team’s new need for a right-handed-hitting center fielder now that Juan Lagares is headed for surgery. But Pearce would help fill in for Jose Reyes, who could require a DL stint, and would also represent a platoon option at any infield position but shortstop as well as the corner outfield.
  • One under-the-radar name to watch in the next few days is Padres outfielder Jon Jay. While he won’t return before the deadline, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says (Twitter links) that he’s still drawing interest. The Pads would surely prefer to wait for him to resume playing, but passing the affordable veteran through waivers may prove a challenge, so the best value may be found now — even if Jay won’t command quite what he would have had he remained healthy to this point.

Pitching Notes: Smith, Robertson, Padres’ Relievers, Yankees’ Starters

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We’ve already heard about the Mets’ interest in Angels righty Joe Smith, but they aren’t alone in looking at the veteran reliever. The Indians, Mariners, and perhaps also the Cardinals all have some level of interest, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets. These teams, of course, have also been tied to a variety of other pen pieces — as have most organizations looking for relief help. Remember to check out MLBTR’s list of the top relief candidates to run down some possibilities.

  • One source for a quality reliever could be the White Sox, who still have closer David Robertson under contract for two more years. There’s a “real possibility” he could be moved, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports on Twitter. The Nationals, Rangers, and division-rival Indians are among the rival organizations who have some interest. While Robertson is carrying an uncharacteristic 4.35 ERA on the year, driven in large part by a huge spike in his walk totals and a barrage of home runs, he’s still getting swings and misses on 11.9% of his pitches and working with his typical 92 to 93 mph fastball. Robertson is working in the zone as much as usual, and has tamed the control problems in the month of July. Plus, much of the damage has been limited to a few bad outings — Robertson has only allowed earned runs in eight of his forty outings on the season.
  • Several Padres bullpen arms feature on the above-cited list of trade possibilities, and GM A.J. Preller says that he has drawn interest, as MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell tweets. Preller cites righty Brandon Maurer and lefties Brad Hand and Ryan Buchter as hurlers who have been asked about quite frequently. “There’s definitely interest in our pen,” per the freewheeling general manager.
  • Teams asking the Yankees about starting pitching have been left with the impression that only Ivan Nova is available at present, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports on Twitter. Nova certainly didn’t help his trade appeal with a rough outing tonight, but as a pending free agent, it seems the club is more willing to deal him. As of now, says Sherman, upper management hasn’t given a green light on moving arms that have future control, such as Nathan Eovaldi and Michael Pineda.

Latest On Jonathan Lucroy Sweepstakes

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10:54pm: The Rangers could view a strike for Lucroy as a way to improve their pitching, given his highly-regarded work behind the plate, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. With Texas finding high asking prices on the pitching market, the report suggests, the club could make a move for a group of Milwaukee pieces that might include Lucroy, a quality reliever, and possibly even a starter.

3:41pm: There’s a mystery team involved on Lucroy, tweets Jon Heyman of Fan Rag, and it isn’t the Red Sox or the Mariners. Those two clubs would certainly have been among the plausible suitors for the veteran.

2:49pm: The Braves have inquired on Lucroy, according to Rosenthal (via Twitter). At present, though, it doesn’t appear as if the sides are likely to strike a deal. Atlanta’s interest is limited, it seems, because it would need to extend the veteran receiver in order to justify trading him.

The teams is “wary of paying twice” — first in the swap, then in a hypothetical extension — though certainly that’s the price of poker when  just a fact of life for a club that would competing with teams that have a much higher present need for a top-quality backstop. It’s no sure thing, either, that Lucroy himself would agree to a new contract.

12:29pm: Yesterday, Milwaukee asked teams with interest to make offers of a certain “minimum standard,” Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (Twitter links). It’s not entirely clear whether the request was for best and final offers, but Rosenthal adds that discussions are still taking place.

Among several teams to put their chips on the table are the Mets, per the report. With the Brewers still evaluating their options, multiple teams remain in the hunt.

11:27am: Jonathan Lucroy is one of the most talked-about names on the trade market right now, and ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick adds some context to the complications in working out a deal, reporting the eight teams to which Lucroy can block a trade (Twitter link). Lucroy can block trades to the Twins, Angels, Athletics, Padres, Mariners, Nationals and, most interestingly, the Indians and Tigers. Both of the two latter teams have been connected to Lucroy in trade rumors this week, though both Crasnick and his colleague Jayson Stark were told this morning that the Tigers are no longer in the picture (links to Twitter).

Cleveland’s presence on Lucroy’s no-trade list certainly doesn’t preclude a deal from happening — Lucroy has candidly stated to the media that he wants to play for a contending team on multiple occasions in the past six months — but it does further complicate matters for the Indians. While Lucroy’s postseason aspirations could make him willing, to some extent, to waive his no-trade rights, he could also wield that clause as leverage in an attempt to coerce the Indians into an extension or, at the very least, restructuring his contract to give him a raise on next year’s wildly affordable $5.25MM salary.

The Indians are said to be discussing Lucroy and left-hander Will Smith with the Brewers, but they face competition even if the Tigers and Astros are out of the market, as has been reported recently. The Rangers, Red Sox and Mets — none of whom are on his no-trade list — have all still been linked to Lucroy, and a premium player of his value figures to draw widespread interest. (Indeed, FanRag’s Jon Heyman last night again mentioned a mystery team in the mix.) The Mets were said to offer a package centered around Travis d’Arnaud, which was quickly dismissed, but FOX’s Ken Rosenthal reported last night that the two side “re-engaged” on trade talks. ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin adds a bit more detail to that story this morning, reporting that the Brewers circled back with the Mets and proposed a counter-offer that “was not out-of-hand rejected.” The Mets, he notes, have no intention of dealing either shortstop prospect Amed Rosario or first base prospect Dominic Smith, though.

Pitching Rumors: Sale, Rangers, Dodgers-A’s, Walker, Santana, Jays, Rays, Niese

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The Rangers are still pushing hardest for White Sox ace Chris Sale, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (Twitter links). Chicago is holding out with a high asking price, per the report, demanding Nomar Mazara and Joey Gallo as headliners. Presumably, the club is looking for more to go with that pair, though the full demands from the Sox remain unknown. Texas will obviously be hesitant to part with Mazara, in particular, since he’s not only an important future piece but has played a notable role on this year’s roster. On the other hand, he seems like a perfectly reasonable request; there simply aren’t very many pitchers out there that combine Sale’s track record and contract situation.

Here’s more on the market for starters:

  • The Athletics and Dodgers have discussed trade scenarios involving both lefty Rich Hill and outfielder Josh Reddick, per ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. It seems that the sides have batted around concepts involving both players in a single swap, as well as scenarios involving each player separately. It’s not hard to see the interest here from a Los Angeles organization that not only desires to add a starter and a left-handed-hitting outfielder, but has exhibited more injury risk tolerance in acquiring starting pitching than any team in baseball.
  • Other teams may be looking at Mariners righty Taijuan Walker, but Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto says that he’s not interested in offers, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. “We’re not currently discussing Taijuan with anybody,” said Dipoto. “He’ll stay right where he is.” Dipoto says that the same holds with regard to lefty James Paxton, as SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets.
  • At this point, the Twins would need to be “overwhelmed” to deal away righty Ervin Santana, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). Minnesota is still said to be open to dealing relief assets, but apparently is rather committed to keeping the veteran righty in its rotation over the final two years of his contract.
  • While the Blue Jays’ tough call on whether to keep Aaron Sanchez in the rotation, or instead to move him to the pen to limit his innings, has long been building as an important decision. ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark takes a look at the subject with the trade deadline seemingly forcing the issue. While GM Ross Atkins says the club won’t let Sanchez’s status impact its plans, and stresses that the organization is looking at far more than a simple innings tally, Stark reports that rival executives see Toronto as an aggressive pursuer of starters. He suggests that Jeremy Hellickson could make a nice target as a back-of-the-staff rental that shouldn’t cost too much.
  • Before striking a deal this morning for two starters, the Marlins tried to work something out with the pitching-rich Rays, according to multiple reports. Per Stark (Twitter links), the sides weren’t seeing eye to eye on Miami’s interest in Jake Odorizzi and Matt Moore. One source suggests that Tampa Bay wanted Christian Yelich and J.T. Realmuto — which would obviously be a non-starter — while another suggests it never got that specific, with Tampa Bay simply not interested in the Marlins’ farm.
  • Moore seems now to be the Rays starter who is most likely to be traded, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). Always regarded as a highly-talented pitcher, Moore has looked more like his pre-Tommy John self of late. His last poor outing came on June 24th, leaving him with a 5.04 ERA to that point on the year. Since that time, over seven starts, Moore has allowed just nine earned runs in 40 2/3 innings. He only has a 25: 14 K/BB ratio in that span, which isn’t all that exciting, and doesn’t have a velocity bump  or increasing whiff rate to support the improved results,
  • The Mets have chatted with the Pirates about a possible Jon Niese return, SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets. New York has previously been suggested to have some interest in the lefty, who was dealt from New York to Pittsburgh over the winter. As before, though, the Mets don’t appear to be prioritizing starting pitching, given that the club has reasonable back-of-the-rotation options at hand with Zack Wheeler still working toward a return

Latest On Andrew Miller

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1:15pm: A straight-up swap of Giolito wouldn’t be enough to get the Yankees to budge on Miller, Heyman tweets.

12:53pm: We’ve long heard about the Nationals’ interest in Yankees ace reliever Andrew Miller, but it has never quite been clear what the team would be willing to do to make that happen. Per MLB.com’s Jon Morosi, via Twitter, “sources who have spoken with the [Nationals] believe” they’d do a one-for-one swap of Miller for top pitching prospect Lucas Giolito.

That language certainly still leaves a bit of wiggle room, and it’s not clear that a firm offer has been proposed. There’s no question, though, that the towering righty would represent a tantalizing offer for New York — if he is in fact being placed on the table.

New York is looking for a massive return for its star lefty, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag reports (Twitter links). The club is said to want three times the total value it achieved in its trade of Aroldis Chapman, who netted one very good prospect in Gleyber Torres along with three other pieces with real value. While Chapman is a pure rental piece, Miller comes with two added years of club control at a reasonable (though not cheap) price tag of $9MM annually. Heyman also notes that it still seems unlikely he’ll change hands, though perhaps New York is open to being blown away by an offer.

Joining the Nats with ongoing interest in Miller are the Cardinals, Indians, Rangers, and Giants, according to Heyman. Certainly, all of those clubs could put together appealing packages, though none has a rotation prospect that quite reaches Giolito’s standing — with the Cards’ Alex Reyes being the closest thing (though, to be clear, we’ve heard no indication to this point that he could be had). Texas also has some premium assets that it could dangle, though they land mostly on the position-player side. And it’s far from clear whether those teams’ best pieces are on offer for Miller.

If Giolito is, in fact, available, it would seem to make the Nats a favorite to acquire Miller. Giolito is widely regarded as one of the game’s truly premier starting pitching prospects, and he has already reached the majors for D.C. Truth be told, he would represent a rather stunning return, even for a reliever of Miller’s undeniable excellence.

The Nats were said not to be willing to give up Giolito, or even some lesser prospects, in a deal for Chapman. But there’s obviously good reason to cough up more assets for the controllable Miller, and the team has a deep stock of appealing young arms. Plus, Washington’s need for a premium late-inning pen piece only continues to grow, with incumbent closer Jonathan Papelbon struggling more than ever.

Marlins Pushing To Land Andrew Cashner; Rangers Out?

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FRIDAY, 12:37am: Texas isn’t landing Cashner, sources tell MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan (via Twitter). That would seem to leave the Marlins in position to finalize an agreement, and SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets the Fish are indeed getting closer to striking a deal.

THURSDAY, 11:29pm: The Marlins and Rangers are the two “current leaders” to acquire righty Andrew Cashner from the Padres, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Miami is “pushing hard to finalize” a swap that would send multiple prospects to San Diego for the much-needed starter, per MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro (via Twitter), though it seems as if there’s still competition for his services.

We’ve long heard of interest from a wide variety of clubs in the pending free agent, who seems among the likeliest trade pieces in all of baseball. The Orioles were said to be making a push to strike a deal on Cashner just yesterday, but now seem to be behind in the sweepstakes. Other contenders who have been linked include the Blue Jays and Giants.

Recent reports have suggested that the Pads were nearing a deal for Cashner at various points in time, but he remains in San Diego at present. That probably worked out to the benefit of his current team, as the up-and-down righty has put together his best work of the season over his last three outings, permitting five runs and running up 23 strikeouts against just three walks over 17 2/3 frames.

Still, on the year he’s carrying only a 4.76 ERA with 7.6 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9 over 79 1/3 frames. Some home run troubles (16.0% HR/flyball rate) haven’t helped, and Cashner has also posted a career-worst 7.3% swinging striker rate with a slightly declining (but still-strong) average four-seam velocity of 94 mph.

Despite his rocky results, Cashner currently holds the fifth spot on MLBTR’s top trade candidate ranking. That’s due not only to his oft-noted talent, but also to San Diego’s aggressive selling posture, which has already resulted in deals for James Shields, Fernando Rodney, and Melvin Upton. There’s an argument to be made that Cashner is the most appealing rental starter currently available; Rich Hill has unquestionably been better, but also hasn’t pitched much of late, while Jeremy Hellickson arguably doesn’t have quite the ceiling of the other two.

Cashner is earning a relatively modest $7.15MM salary this year, so he’s just as affordable in terms of salary as Hill and Hellickson. In theory, the Pads could hold onto him and hope that he pitches well enough down the stretch to warrant a qualifying offer, but it seems that ship has sailed at this point — particularly with the starting pitching market seemingly primed for sellers to receive strong returns.

Latest On Jonathan Lucroy’s Market

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JULY 28, 7:11pm: The Mets are believed to be “behind” other organizations in pursuit of Lucroy, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets. But it’s still a “fluid” pursuit for one of the best-available players this summer.

Heyman adds that there’s a mystery team involved. There’s another layer of intrigue here, perhaps, as that could be another report on a solitary, unidentified trying organization — or it may represent the second such unknown entrant to the sweepstakes. (See Crasnick’s report referenced below.)

4:29pm: The Brewers have “re-engaged” with the Mets on Lucroy after New York’s initial offer was reportedly deemed light, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). That doesn’t mean that the sides are anywhere close to a deal, he cautions, but it seems at least that there’s more to discuss.

3:35pm: Crasnick now tweets that the Astros aren’t believed to be in play for Lucroy, with a source telling him that Houston’s interest was previously overstated.

JULY 27, 7:35pm: The Indians have spoken to the Brewers about both Lucroy and left-handed reliever Will Smith, according to Crasnick (on Twitter). A left-handed reliever has long been said to be one of Cleveland’s top priorities, so the addition of Smith to talks is natural and one that we’ve speculated upon in the past. The 27-year-old Smith was in the mix to be Milwaukee’s closer but suffered a freak knee injury in Spring Training and missed upwards of two months due to a partially torn LCL. He somewhat improbably avoided surgery and is back in the Milwaukee ’pen, with a 3.72 ERA and an 18-to-8 K/BB ratio in 19 1/3 innings. Smith took his game from solid relief arm to lights-out lefty last season when he posted a 2.70 ERA with 12.9 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9 in 63 1/3 innings and is controllable through 2019.

6:10pm: The Brewers’ trade talks surrounding catcher Jonathan Lucroy are picking up, per ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick (links to Twitter). The Indians, Rangers, Mets, Astros and Red Sox have all been mentioned in connection with Lucroy, Crasnick notes, and offers being made by other clubs have become more serious recently. Crasnick adds that the the ever-popular “mystery team” may have entered the mix as well.

While that typically leads to a large amount of speculation, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports may have quickly shed some light on the matter, reporting that the Tigers are a somewhat surprising new entrant into the Lucroy market. He hypothesizes that Detroit could offer James McCann to the Brewers in a similar manner to the Mets’ reported offer of Travis d’Arnaud, though Milwaukee will want more than that in exchange. The Brewers, per Rosenthal, are seeking high-end prospects back in addition to any catcher that is offered in exchange for Lucroy.

While there’s a common belief that Lucroy will indeed be traded prior to the Aug. 1 non-waiver deadline, Rosenthal writes that the Mets feel that Milwaukee is “overreaching” in its asks for Lucroy, while AL West contenders like the Astros and Rangers are more focused on adding pitching depth than a catcher at this time. Houston is also looking at other backstops, he notes, so it’s not a guarantee that even if they move for a catcher, Lucroy would be the target. Meanwhile, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan tweets that the Rangers have yet to show serious interest in Lucroy and consider adding a catcher to be a “luxury” at this point, as pitching depth remains their primary focus. Those tweets came prior to Texas’ acquisition of Lucas Harrell and Dario Alvarez from the Braves, but one would assume that those two arms alone have not ended the Rangers’ search for pitching upgrade.

Lucroy, who turned 30 last month, is hitting .301/.362/.486 with 13 homers, 16 doubles and three triples on the season while playing excellent defense. He’s earning a modest $4MM salary in 2016 (of which about $1.46MM remains), and his contract contains an exceptionally affordable $5.25MM club option for the 2017 campaign.

Heyman’s Latest: Sale, Cashner, Royals, Brewers, Giants, Mariners, Nats

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Even though the Yankees made a forward-looking move by trading Aroldis Chapman for Adam Warren and three young prospects (highlighted by high-ceiling shortstop Gleyber Torres), they’ve at least placed a call to the White Sox to inquire on Chris Sale, writes Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports in his latest Inside Baseball column. GM Brian Cashman wouldn’t comment on Sale when asked, telling Heyman only that the Yankees call on virtually every player that’s available as a matter of due diligence. Heyman writes that there’s speculation among other clubs that the Yanks could make a legitimate run at Sale, possibly including Torres in the package, but there’s no indication yet to support that talk.

A few more highlights from the lengthy column…

  • The Astros called the Padres to inquire on Andrew Cashner but told San Diego about 48 hours later that they were no longer interested. Whether it’s because of the asking price or another reason isn’t entirely clear. Heyman adds that, unsurprisingly, Colby Rasmus won’t be getting another qualifying offer from the Astros this year after he accepted the QO last November and has underperformed in 2016.
  • The Royals will wait until the very last minute to decide if they’re going to sell off veteran pieces. Edinson Volquez, Kendrys Morales and Luke Hochevar — each of whom has a mutual option on his contract but is likely to hit the open market following the season — are among the team’s candidates to be traded if the Royals do sell. Interestingly, he also notes that there’s a belief that Kansas City will let Alcides Escobar go and replace him with Raul Mondesi Jr. I’d personally wonder if, even though he hasn’t performed well at the plate whatsoever, the Royals could generate some trade interest (either now or after the season) due to the $6.5MM club option ($500K buyout) on Escobar’s contract.
  • Angels GM Billy Eppler will at least listen to offers on both Hector Santiago and Matt Shoemaker, though each is controllable beyond this season (Shoemaker for another four years, Santiago through 2017), so there’s no definitive urge to move either. Yunel Escobar and Joe Smith are both trade candidates for the Halos as well, as has been noted frequently over the past couple of weeks.
  • The Brewers weren’t impressed at all by the Mets’ offer for Jonathan Lucroy, which centered around Travis d’Arnaud. Heyman cites Brewers sources as saying they’ve been offered better catchers than d’Arnaud and still passed on moving Lucroy just yet. Right-hander Junior Guerra, who is having a surprisingly strong season as a 31-year-old rookie, has generated some trade interest, but Heyman says there’s been little chatter on Chris Carter. It also seems that Ryan Braun isn’t being talked about much at this stage.
  • The Giants are interested in Minnesota’s Eduardo Nunez, who has also recently been connected to the Indians. The Twins figure to be wide open to trade scenarios in the coming days, and Nunez would give the Giants some cover at third base, shortstop, second base and in left field. Similarly, the Giants have a bit of interest in Alex Guerrero, who was released by the Dodgers earlier this year. However, Heyman points out that catcher Miguel Olivo, who is being sued by Guerrero after biting off a piece of Guerrero’s ear in a dugout altercation with the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in 2015, is playing for San Francisco’s Triple-A affiliate.
  • The Cubs and Rangers have both called the Mariners about Taijuan Walker and James Paxton, but Seattle hasn’t shown any inclination toward moving either pitcher. Wade Miley is more likely to be moved, and Heyman adds that the Mariners are still open to adding some pieces for 2016 and have checked into Angels righty Joe Smith, whom GM Jerry Dipoto signed while serving as GM in Anaheim.
  • The Nationals turned down proposals centered around both Lucas Giolito and Joe Ross when negotiating with the Yankees about Aroldis Chapman. From there, the Yankees shifted to younger players and asked for a four-prospect package centered around pitching — though it’s not clear just who New York was targeting.  Washington never got close on a Chapman trade despite quite a bit of talk with the Yankees, per Heyman.

Orioles “Trying Hard” To Land Andrew Cashner

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The Orioles are “trying hard” to get right-hander Andrew Cashner from the Padres in trade talks, per FOX’s Ken Rosenthal (links to Twitter), though Baltimore isn’t necessarily considered the favorite. The Marlins and Rangers are both still in on Cashner, he notes, and others recently linked to the free-agent-to-be include the Blue Jays and Giants. While MLB.com’s Jon Morosi recently reported that San Diego was making progress on a Cashner trade, Rosenthal feels that Cashner talks could stretch into Monday.

As Rosenthal points out, the Orioles and Padres had extensive talks regarding Melvin Upton Jr., so the O’s are likely already familiar with the players from their minor league ranks that are most coveted by the Padres. Likewise, San Diego is familiar with the players that the Orioles would be reluctant to surrender, though given the meager return on Upton and the fairly significant demand for Cashner, it’s safe to assume that Cashner talks would feature more highly regarded names than Upton talks. (Reportedly, the Padres sought lefty Garrett Cleavinger and righty Jhon Peluffo in Upton negotiations.)

Baltimore looked perilously thin in the rotation entering the season, and the need to augment the rotation has become even clearer as the season has worn on. Chris Tillman and Kevin Gausman are the only two regular members of the Orioles’ rotation that have managed an ERA south of 5.00. Yovani Gallardo’s 5.37 ERA ranks third among Orioles that have made five or more starts. Aside from the work turned in by Tillman and Gausman, Baltimore has received a collective 5.93 ERA in the starts made by Gallardo, Ubaldo Jimenez, Tyler Wilson, Mike Wright, Vance Worley and Dylan Bundy. The final member of that group has at least looked solid over his past two starts, but Bundy pitched a combined 67 professional innings from 2012-15 due to injuries and is already at 52 innings pitched in 2016, making it virtually impossible for the Orioles to entrust him with a starter’s workload down the stretch.

Generally speaking, Cashner has been unimpressive for the bulk of the season, posting a 4.76 ERA in 79 1/3 innings while missing time due to a hamstring strain and a neck strain. He’s rattled off three consecutive nice starts against contending teams, however, yielding five runs with a 23-to-3 K/BB ratio over his past 17 2/3 innings.

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