Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Blue Jays Rumors

Blue Jays Acquire Luis Valbuena From Indians

By | at

The Indians have traded Luis Valbuena to the Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations, according to the team's officlal Twitter account.  The infielder was designated for assignment on November 18th.

Valbuena spent the majority of 2011 with Cleveland's Triple-A affiliate where he hit .302/.372/.476 with 17 homers in 472 plate appearances.  The infielder, who turns 26 on November 30, played 194 games for the Indians' varsity squad in 2009 and 2010 and saw a good deal of time at second base.

Reds Shopping Yonder Alonso For Pitching

By | at

The Reds are offering Yonder Alonso as trade bait in their search for a closer or a No. 2 starter, reports Yahoo Sports' Tim Brown.  Reds GM Walt Jocketty has spoken to several teams — including the A's, Blue Jays, Indians and Rays — about Alonso, though we heard earlier this week that the Reds thought Alonso was too much to give up for Oakland closer Andrew Bailey.

Alonso is regarded as Cincinnati's top hitting prospect, if one without a Major League position since Joey Votto is cemented at first base.  The 24-year-old has an OPS of .837 in four minor league seasons and hit .330/.398/.545 in 98 plate appearances with the Reds last year. 

If the Reds were willing to move him, you would think Alonso would be too much to deal for any closer, not just Bailey.  Jocketty has said his club's top priority is finding a starting pitcher this offseason, so while the Jays and Indians have some good young arms, they wouldn't be willing to deal a top-of-the-rotation caliber of starter for which the Reds are looking.  The Jays and Tribe also have other options at first base, though Adam Lind, Edwin Encarnacion and Matt LaPorta wouldn't be major obstacles if Toronto or Cleveland had a legitimate shot at Alonso.  The A's and Reds might not be a match on Bailey, but Jocketty might deem possibly-available pitchers like Gio Gonzalez or Trevor Cahill worthy of moving Alonso. 

The most logical match would appear to be Tampa Bay, who has a big hole at first base, lots of pitching and a need for a controllable young talent like Alonso.  The Rays could offer Wade Davis or Jeff Niemann, though the Reds are more likely looking for a pitcher like James Shields.  (Obviously David Price and Jeremy Hellickson are staying put.)

AL East Notes: Gio, Jones, Buchholz, Garcia

By | at

Here's the latest from the AL East…

  • "Gio Gonzalez has been a name widely discussed internally" by the Red Sox, reports Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston.  The Sox are "extremely high" on the Athletics left-hander.  We've also heard the Yankees and Marlins are interested in Gonzalez, though the A's haven't yet begun seriously discussing possible trades.
  • The Orioles don't have to pursue an extension with Adam Jones this winter, opines MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli.  She believes if Baltimore's young pitchers don't show signs of improvement next season, the O's will have to enter yet another rebuilding process, and only then will the team decide if Jones is a long-term answer.  If the Orioles rebuild, Jones would command a heavy price on the trade market.  MLBTR's Tim Dierkes looked at Jones as an extension candidate in August.
  • We recently heard from FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal that the Red Sox asked the Blue Jays about Toronto manager (and former Sox pitching coach) John Farrell.  According to David Waldstein of the New York Times (Twitter link), the Jays asked for Clay Buchholz in return.  As Rosenthal wrote, "the Sox never considered it likely that the Jays would engage in serious discussions about Farrell, and the conversations failed to progress," which isn't at all surprising if Buchholz was the asking price.
  • Freddy Garcia could have found a two-year deal elsewhere but wanted to return to the Yankees, tweets Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.  The Red Sox were the only other team known to have an interest in Garcia, who agreed to terms today on a one-year, $5MM deal with New York.

American League Free Agent Arbitration Offers

By | at

10 American League teams have free agent arbitration offer decisions to make, and we'll update them in this post throughout the day in advance of the 11pm central time deadline.  For a fantastic customizable chart with all 57 Type A/B free agents and their teams' decisions in real-time, click here. 

Updated team decisions:

Teams with decisions still due:

Blue Jays Claim Brian Jeroloman

By | at

Less than a week after losing Brian Jeroloman on waivers, the Blue Jays have re-claimed him.  The team announced that it has claimed the 26-year-old catcher from the Pirates.  Toronto's 40-man roster now has one open spot.

The Pirates claimed Jeroloman off of waivers from Toronto on Friday but designated the catcher for assignment on Monday to make room for the newly-acquired Clint Barmes.  In 318 Triple-A plate appearances this year, Jeroloman hit .240/.335/.295.

Red Sox Notes: Hazen, O’Halloran, Farrell

By | at

Here's the latest from Boston, as the Red Sox are still without a manager and a closer…

  • The team announced a series of front office moves in a press release. Among the reshuffling, Mike Hazen and Brian O'Halloran have both been named Vice President and Assistant GM. All of the moves can be found here.
  • The Blue Jays announced last month that they would not give employees permission to make lateral moves, but Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says that didn't stop the Sox from asking Toronto what it would take to let them talk to manager John Farrell about their managerial vacancy. The talks failed to progress.
  • Earlier today we learned that the Red Sox have interest in Huston Street, and they also spoke to Joe Nathan without making an offer.

Six Teams Interested In Huston Street

By | at

TUESDAY: The Marlins, Red Sox, Reds and Mets are also interested in Street, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).

MONDAY: The Orioles and Blue Jays are among the teams to have expressed trade interest in Rockies reliever Huston Street, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

Jim Johnson replaced Kevin Gregg as the Orioles' closer late last season, but Rosenthal says the O's prefer Johnson in next year's rotation.  There's no harm in inquiring on Street, but in my opinion an $8MM closer is a luxury the Orioles don't need.  We'll see whether the Rockies are willing to cover a decent chunk of his contract.  Rosenthal suggests Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie as a possible fit for Colorado, though I think Baltimore could trade Guthrie for better long-term assets than Street.

With Rafael Betancourt penciled in to close for the Rockies next year, Street seems widely available.  Rosenthal and colleague Jon Paul Morosi first made the Blue Jays connection last week.

Quick Hits: Mills, Madson, Twins, Danks, Prado

By | at

On a day when the Blue Jays adopted a familiar-looking "new" logo, here are some news items to carry us into the weekend….

  • If the Astros fire Brad Mills, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports believes Mills could reunite with Terry Francona as the latter's bench coach for a future managing vacancy.  Morosi also lists Rangers executives A.J. Preller and Thad Levine and Rays executives Andrew Friedman and Gerry Hunsicker as wish list candidates for Jim Crane if he removes Ed Wade as Houston's general manager.  It would be the second stint as Astros' GM for Hunsicker, who ran the team from 1996-2004.
  • Ryan Madson could be one of several free agents to lose his Type A status under the rules of the new collective bargaining agreement, tweets Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.  Such an adjustment would help Madson, as clubs with unprotected first-round draft picks currently have to give up that pick in order to sign the closer.
  • Twins GM Terry Ryan tells Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that Denard Span and Ben Revere won't be traded this winter.  Minnesota could lose both Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel to free agency this offseason.
  • The White Sox didn't add Jordan Danks to their 40-man roster, and Jim Margalus of the South Side Sox speculates that this could be a hint that Chicago is preparing to part ways with John Danks.  The elder Danks brother has drawn strong interest on the trade market.
  • The Braves "seem to undervalue [Martin Prado's] skills," writes Fangraphs' Jason Roberts, who thinks Atlanta may not get proper market value in exchange for the utilityman in a deal. 
  • Right-hander Darrell Rasner has signed a new contract with the Rakuten Golden Eagles, reports NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman.  Matt Sosnick, Rasner's agent, tells Newman the contract is worth $1.5MM plus performance bonuses.  Rasner last appeared in the majors as a Yankee in 2008 and has pitched for Rakuten ever since.
  • The Blue Jays, Cardinals, Mariners, Red Sox and Twins are all listed as possible suitors for Kelly Shoppach by ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link).

Added To 40-Man Roster: Giants, Dodgers, Pirates

By | at

Today is the deadline for teams to add players to the 40-man roster to protect them from next month's Rule 5 draft. Here's more on which players need to be protected and here are the details on which players have had their contracts selected to the 40-man roster:

Read more

Cordero Says Reds, Five Other Teams Still In “Hunt”

By | at

In an interview with Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio, Francisco Cordero said that unless the Reds increase their most recent contract offer, he will leave Cincinnati.  The Reds are still in the "hunt," however, along with other teams who have shown interest in the free agent closer: the Angels, Blue Jays, Rangers, Rays and Red Sox (all Twitter links).

The Rays and Rangers are new additions to a busy market for Cordero that also includes the Dodgers, Marlins and Mets.  As a Type A free agent, Cordero would cost his new team a first round draft pick as compensation to the Reds if that new team didn't have a protected pick.  This presumes, of course, that Cordero turns down the Reds' offer of arbitration and that the Type A compensation rules aren't changed by the new collective bargaining agreement. 

Of Cordero's known suitors, the Angels, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Rangers, Rays and Red Sox all have unprotected picks, though the Jays and Sox each currently have two picks in the first round of next year's draft.  Toronto's extra pick is compensation for not signing Tyler Beede last year, while Boston currently possesses the Phillies' first round pick (31st overall) as compensation for Philadelphia's signing of Jonathan Papelbon.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top