NL East Notes: Pence, Victorino, Johnson
The Phillies traded Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino this morning and the Marlins followed up those moves by trading Gaby Sanchez and Edward Mujica later in the day. The Braves welcomed new acquisitions Paul Maholm and Reed Johnson to Atlanta, but deadline day was relatively quiet for the Mets and Nationals. Here are the latest notes from the NL East…
- The Phillies are slightly under the luxury tax limit following today’s trades, GM Ruben Amaro told reporters, including Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). The Phillies opened the season with a $172MM payroll, and the MLB luxury tax affects teams that spend more than $178MM.
- At one point the Phillies considered trading Hunter Pence, obtaining a center fielder, and re-signing Shane Victorino for right field, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). Instead, the Dodgers acquired Victorino, and the Giants traded for Pence.
- Marlins right-hander Josh Johnson drew interest from the Rangers, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Reds and others, but Miami kept him, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports writes (on Twitter).
- GM Mike Rizzo said the Nationals made all their splashy moves this past winter, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports. "We like who we are, and we like where we’re at and we like the composition of the roster,” Rizzo said.
Rangers Acquire Ryan Dempster
The Rangers acquired Ryan Dempster from the Cubs for minor league third baseman Christian Villanueva and minor league right-hander Kyle Hendricks. The Braves and Dodgers were favored at various points for Dempster, but the Rangers jumped in and made the move and the 35-year-old approved the deal.
Dempster was drafted by the Rangers in the third round way back in 1995 and was traded to the Marlins the following year. In recent years, he's been a reliable starter for the Cubs, acquiring 10-and-5 rights. The Rangers' need for starting pitching was heightened when Colby Lewis went down this month.
Dempster posted a 2.25 ERA with 7.2 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and a 42.1% ground ball rate in 104 innings with the Cubs this year. He's earning $14MM — nearly $5MM between now and the end of the season — and will hit free agency this fall.
The Rangers won't be eligible to obtain draft pick compensation for Dempster, since they're acquiring him midway through the last year of his contract. If the Cubs had kept Dempster, they could have made him a one-year qualifying offer following the season and been eligible for a compensatory pick in 2013.
Villanueva, 21, has a .285/.356/.421 batting line in 425 plate appearances with Class A Myrtle Beach this year. The third baseman entered the 2012 season as the 100th-best prospect in MLB, according to Baseball America. He has a .286/.350/.438 batting line in four minor league seasons.
Hendricks, 22, has a 2.82 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 1.0 BB/9 in 130 2/3 innings over the course of 20 starts at Myrtle Beach. The 6'2" right-hander has 150 strikeouts and just 21 walks in 166 1/3 innings since being selected in the eighth round of the 2011 draft.
The Braves nearly acquired Dempster for Randall Delgado, but the trade didn't go through. Instead, Atlanta obtained Paul Maholm and Reed Johnson from the Cubs in a trade that was announced last night.
ESPN's Buster Olney first reported the trade and Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reported which prospects were involved. MLB.com's Ken Gurnick and Scott Miller of CBS Sports had early word of the deal, which made it in just under the trade deadline buzzer. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported that the Cubs would obtain two Class A prospects. Photo courtesy of US Presswire.
Dodgers Out On Dempster
Cubs righty Ryan Dempster is scheduled to start tonight at Wrigley Field opposite A.J. Burnett, but a little thing called the trade deadline looms four hours prior to that contest. As a 10-and-5 player, however, Dempster must approve any trade. The latest:
- The Dodgers are out on Dempster, tweets Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times.
- Straight from the horse's mouth: Dempster told Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com he has expanded his list to include the Yankees and Rangers, in addition to the Dodgers.
- The Dodgers are pursuing starting pitching on multiple fronts, notes Goldstein.
- Money would have to be involved for Dempster to land with the Yankees, and with 90 minutes until the deadline there's been no talk of financials yet, tweets Sherman. The Cubs are said to like Yankees second base prospect Angelo Gumbs and third base prospect Dante Bichette Jr., but Sherman is not sure the Yankees would do that just to upgrade on Freddy Garcia. Reports are unclear on whether Dempster would approve a trade to the Yankees.
- Echoing Kaplan, Nightengale tweets that the Cubs are engaged in heavy discussions with the Yankees on Dempster and are still talking to the Dodgers and Rangers. No one is copping to it on the Yankees' side, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The Yankees have indeed contacted the Cubs about Dempster, tweet Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, but the teams are not talking seriously yet.
- The Dodgers are not the only team discussing Dempster with the Cubs, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
- The deal is not done yet, tweets Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, as the Cubs really want prospect Allen Webster and are trying to add to Dempster to get him. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports concurs: there is no agreement yet.
- The Cubs and Dodgers are "finally closing in on the Dempster deal," a source close to the negotations tells Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio.
- The Dodgers remain focused on Dempster and want him even if they add another pitcher, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. They're also looking at hitters, and money does not seem to be a concern. Rosenthal notes that the Dodgers have worked on two massive deals over the last several days, both of which are now less likely.
- There's no evidence of Dempster talk with the Yankees, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
- The Dodgers, Rangers, and Yankees are in play for Dempster, reports David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com. The Rangers and Yankees stepped up their pursuit over the last 48 hours. Furthermore, Kaplan says Dempster is willing to approve a trade to any of the three teams.
- Nothing was close late Monday between the Dodgers and Cubs, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
- Dempster "remains adamant that he will only approve a trade to the Dodgers," reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal says the Cubs and Dodgers are discussing Dempster and left fielder Alfonso Soriano. However, if the Dodgers acquire another target in outfielder Shane Victorino, they'd have little use for Soriano. With only one suitor, the Cubs' only leverage is weak: their alternative is to keep Dempster and make him a qualifying offer in the $12.5MM range after the season, with an eye on scoring one compensatory draft pick if he declines.
- The Cubs and Braves' previous dialogue about Dempster made yesterday's Paul Maholm trade a little easier, Cubs GM Jed Hoyer told reporters including MLB.com's Carrie Muskat. As the centerpiece of that deal, the Cubs snagged Tommy John-rehabbing pitching prospect Arodys Vizcaino.
Red Sox Seek Lefty Relief; Rangers Out On Beckett
The latest on the Red Sox, with less than two hours remaining for Ben Cherington to make a deal…
- The Red Sox are in the market for a left-handed reliever, according to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com (on Twitter McAdam credits Peter Gammons for first reporting the news). Adding a lefty reliever would allow the Red Sox to move Franklin Morales back to the rotation, McAdam writes. Here are some southpaw relievers for Cherington to consider.
- The Red Sox and Rangers definitely won't revisit the possibility of a Josh Beckett trade, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports. The sides could re-engage next month if the right-hander clears waivers.
Matt Garza Rumors: Tuesday
The trade deadline is roughly eight hours away, and we learned yesterday that the Cubs are talking Matt Garza with multiple clubs despite a fluid buildup in the righty's triceps that will keep him from pitching until after the deadline passes. The 28-year-old is under team control for 2013, a season for which he will earn approximately $12.1MM, according to MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz. The Cubs moved Paul Maholm, Reed Johnson, and Geovany Soto on Monday; here's the latest on Garza.
- The Blue Jays and Rangers had scouts watching Garza's side session on Monday, tweets Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com.
- Cubs officials were not overly optimistic about trading Garza today, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
- The Rangers appear unlikely for Garza, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Blue Jays and Reds appear to be more realistic matches. The Blue Jays are believed to have already asked the Cubs permission to conduct a physical exam of Garza, wrote Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star.
Rangers, Twins Discussing Jared Burton
The Rangers and Twins are discussing a possible trade involving right-handed reliever Jared Burton, Yahoo's Tim Brown reports (on Twitter). The Rangers are known to be considering additions to their bullpen.
Burton, 31, has a 2.40 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 41 1/3 innings for the Twins this year. He's earning a salary of $750K and will go to arbitration this coming offseason before hitting free agency after 2013.
Rangers Designate Torrealba For Assignment; Nats Interested
11:45am: The Nationals and Rangers discussed Torrealba, but one person involved told Kilgore “it doesn’t look like a fit.”
TUESDAY, 8:49am: The Rangers and Nationals are expected to discuss Torrealba today, tweets Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.
MONDAY, 10:25pm: The Rangers have designated catcher Yorvit Torrealba for assignment, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports (on Twitter). Torrealba became expendable with the acquisition of Geovany Soto.
The Rangers are likely to trade Torrealba, MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan reports. The 34-year-old has a .236/.302/.342 batting line in 182 plate appearances this year.
Rangers Acquire Geovany Soto
The Rangers officially acquired a former Rookie of the Year today, getting catcher Geovany Soto and cash from the Cubs for minor league pitcher Jake Brigham and a player to be named later or cash.
Soto, 29, has a .195/.278/.345 batting line in 194 plate appearances this year. The 2008 NL Rookie of the Year earns $4.3MM in 2012 and is on track to go to arbitration for the third time this offseason. However, he could be non-tendered given his salary. The Mets also had interest in trading for Soto.
The move led to the Rangers designating catcher Yorvit Torrealba for assignment. If Soto's production improves, Texas will have an in-house alternative to Mike Napoli when he hits free agency this offseason. Otherwise, the Rangers could non-tender Soto and let him test the free agent market a year early.
Brigham, a 24-year-old right-hander, had been pitching at Double-A Frisco. He has a 4.28 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 124 innings over the course of 21 starts this year. Brigham is a fringe arm, Ben Badler of Baseball America writes (on Twitter). ESPN's Keith Law says he has "a plus fastball and power breaking ball but lacks the command and the third pitch to start."
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported that a trade would take place and Tim Brown of Yahoo first reported that the Rangers acquired Soto. Photo courtesy of US Presswire/Benny Sieu.
Reds, Blue Jays, Rangers Eyeing Matt Garza
The Cubs agreed to two significant deals today, and they might not be done yet. They sent Paul Maholm and Reed Johnson to Atlanta in one trade and dealt Geovany Soto to Texas in another. Meanwhile, Matt Garza continues drawing interest despite a fluid buildup in his triceps that will keep him from pitching until after the trade deadline passes. Here are the latest rumors surrounding the right-hander…
- The Reds are talking to the Cubs about Garza, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. A team such as the Reds could complete a deal if it determines the injury is relatively minor.
- The Cubs have tried to trade Garza to the Reds, but it's doubtful the sides will complete a deal, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter).
- The Blue Jays remain interested in Garza despite his current condition, Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star reports.
- There's a "very high chance" Garza gets traded, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports (Twitter links). The Blue Jays have been bearing down on him. The Cubs are still trying to move Garza, Stark writes.
- The Rangers and Blue Jays are interested, Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com reports.
- The Cubs are fielding calls on Garza and working on a Ryan Dempster deal, David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com reports (on Twitter).
Josh Beckett Rumors: Monday
Despite a report of the Red Sox shopping righty Josh Beckett to the Rangers and Braves, there was a clear vibe from reporters this morning that a trade is unlikely. Beckett can veto any trade given his 10-and-5 rights, and he's owed $37MM through 2014. The latest on the 32-year-old Texan…
- The Red Sox won't trade Beckett before the deadline, Gordon Edes tweets.
- The Rangers haven't ruled out the possibility of trading for Beckett, according to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com. Yet a rival GM estimates that there's just a 2% chance of a deal being completed. "Too much money involved, and Beckett isn't pitching that well," the GM told Edes.
- Beckett will not be traded to the Rangers, reports WEEI's Rob Bradford.
- Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com has a different take on the Beckett situation. He says the Red Sox are willing to listen but not aggressively seeking to move him, and it is the Rangers, Braves, and Dodgers who called to inquire on Beckett. McAdam says the Sox won't assume much of the $37MM owed to Beckett, and the chances of a deal are less than 50-50.
- Asked by Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe whether reports of him trying to move Beckett were accurate, Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said no.
- The Braves are not a viable landing spot for Beckett right now, reports WEEI's Rob Bradford. Bradford says the Braves are not in position to assume Beckett's financial obligation, even if the Red Sox pick up a significant portion. MLB.com's Mark Bowman says the Braves are not a likely fit for Beckett, but Atlanta would be more interested in Jon Lester. The Red Sox are saying no, flatly, regarding calls about Lester, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
- Rangers people aren't too excited about the Beckett speculation, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
- There is a sense that Beckett might waive his 10-and-5 rights for certain teams, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, but clubs are concerned about his attitude and performance. In comments made to Bradford a couple days ago, Beckett said he prefers to stay, "But if people don’t want you, you don’t want to be there. Obviously I have some things where it would be very difficult for them to trade me if I didn’t want to be traded. But you have to think realistically. If you’re not wanted somewhere, why stay there? Know what I mean? It kind of makes it a little more difficult. But [GM Ben Cherington] assured me during spring training that he wants me here, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s just made-up fodder."
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says there is no longer a required 24-hour waiting period for 10-and-5 players to approve a trade, so trade talk for players like Beckett and Ryan Dempster can go right down to the wire.