Pirates Sign Daniel Hudson
WEDNESDAY: The deal is now official.
MONDAY 7:43pm: The deal is split into two $5.5MM annual salaries, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets.
2:49pm: The Pirates have agreed to a two-year, $11MM contract with free agent right-hander Daniel Hudson, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. Hudson, a client of Jet Sports, can earn up to $1.5MM of incentives per year based on games finished and could end up being a factor for the Pirates in the ninth inning on this new contract.
[Related: Updated Pittsburgh Pirates Depth Chart]
Hudson, 30 in March, posted an unsightly 5.22 ERA in 60 1/3 innings with the D-backs last season, but all of the damage done against him was confined to one dismal stretch over the summer. Hudson was sporting a 1.55 ERA as deep into the season as June 21, but he was rocked for 26 runs over his next 15 appearances (during which time he had a staggering .625 BABIP). To close out the season, Hudson allowed just four runs in 21 1/3 innings.
The Pirates are clearly banking that the dominant form with which Hudson bookended his 2016 campaign is a true representation of his talent. Since coming back from his second Tommy John surgery, Hudson has averaged about 96 mph on his fastball and looked the part of a potentially dominant late-inning presence, though his bottom-line results have yet to line up with that perception. The Pirates, though, have a history of success when it comes to turning pitchers’ careers around, and Hudson becomes the latest in a long line of arms to attempt to go that route.
While Hudson probably won’t be handed the closer’s role outright, he’ll compete with longtime setup man Tony Watson for that role. Watson stepped into the ninth inning following the trade of Mark Melancon last year and performed well, though Watson himself has been an oft-mentioned trade candidate and could be moved this winter or next summer, as he’s just a year from reaching free agency. Other late-inning options for manager Clint Hurdle include hard-throwers Felipe Rivero (acquired in the Melancon trade) and Juan Nicasio.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Astros To Sign Juan Centeno
The Astros have struck a minor-league deal with catcher Juan Centeno, according to Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). He’ll join the MLB side of spring camp as part of the arrangement.
Centeno, who recently turned 27, was outrighted a month ago by the Twins. While the relationship didn’t continue with Minnesota, he got his first real look at the majors there in 2016. Previously, Centeno had seen action in three MLB seasons, but appeared in only 24 games.
Over 192 plate appearances with the Twins, Centeno slashed .261/.312/.392 — good for a 91 OPS+, which is just fine for a backstop. But he also rated as one of the game’s worst pitch framers, by measure of both StatCorner and Baseball Prospectus, which doubtlessly did not endear him to a new Minnesota front office that ended up signing catcher Jason Castro (one of the game’s best at earning strikes for his pitchers) away from Houston. (It’s fair to note that Minnesota did offer him a minors pact, per ESPN1500’s Darren Wolfson, via Twitter.)
Despite that solid showing at the plate, offensive expectations remain limited for Centeno, a long-time Mets farmhand who spent 2015 in the Brewers organization. In parts of four seasons at the highest level of the minors, after all, he has demonstrated good contact skills but also an utter absence of power. Over 681 Triple-A plate appearances, Centeno carries a .293/.333/.355 batting line with a pair of home runs.
For Houston, the move adds another plausible major league option to the organization. Brian McCann and Evan Gattis are expected to handle things at the MLB level, and youngsters Max Stassi and Tyler Heineman remain on hand, but Centeno will represent another experienced backstop to call upon if a need arises.
Giants, Jimmy Rollins Agree To Minor League Deal
The Giants and shortstop Jimmy Rollins are in agreement on a minor league contract with an invite to big league Spring Training, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweets that Rollins’ contract comes with a $1MM base salary if he reaches the Major Leagues.
[Related: San Francisco Giants Depth Chart]
The 38-year-old Rollins is, of course, a franchise icon in Philadelphia, where he spent parts of 15 seasons and won the 2007 National League MVP (among many other accolades). At this stage of his career, however, Rollins is simply looking to make a Major League roster and contribute in a reserve capacity. San Francisco’s middle infield includes Brandon Crawford and Joe Panik, while Brandon Belt and Eduardo Nunez figure to shoulder the load at the infield corners. Rollins is a Bay Area native, though, so the idea of playing for the Giants even in a limited role likely carries some added appeal. He’ll try to beat out Kelby Tomlinson and Ehire Adrianza for a bench spot this spring.
Rollins opened the 2016 season with the White Sox and served as Chicago’s primary shortstop early in the year, but his bat didn’t bounce back from a rough 2015 campaign with the Dodgers. In 166 plate appearances with the White Sox last year, Rollins batted .221/.295/.329 with a pair of homers and five stolen bases. That lack of production ultimately led the White Sox to entrust the shortstop position to top prospect Tim Anderson, who turned in a solid rookie effort and positioned himself as Chicago’s long-term option moving forward.
Tigers, Alex Presley Agree To Minors Deal
The Tigers have agreed to a minor league contract with outfielder Alex Presley, tweets SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo. Presley will receive an invite to Major League Spring Training as well.
[Related: Detroit Tigers Depth Chart]
The 31-year-old Presley returns to Detroit after finishing the 2016 campaign in the Tigers organization. He appeared in just three Major League games with the Tigers last year, but he also saw time in 47 games with the Brewers in a limited role. Collectively, he batted .198/.269/.289 in 134 plate appearances between the two teams. Presley has a better track record than that, as he’s a career .253/.295/.382 hitter in 379 big league games (1239 plate appearances) split between the Pirates, Twins, Astros, Brewers and Tigers. He’s capable of playing center field and also has experience in both outfield corners, so he’ll have a chance to compete for a bench job or possibly more, depending on the team’s other moves this winter. J.D. Martinez has been an oft-speculated trade candidate, and dealing him would create further opportunity for Presley to earn a role with the team.
Padres Sign Jhoulys Chacin
9:11pm: Chacin’s contract is worth $1.75MM, according to FanRag’s Jon Heyman. He rejected “significantly more money” from other teams because he felt the Padres offered the best opportunity (Twitter links).
3:13pm: Righty Jhoulys Chacin and the Padres have agreed to terms on a one-year deal, pending a physical, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. Chacin is a client of the Legacy Agency.
The Padres will likely count on Chacin to eat innings in an otherwise thin and inexperienced rotation that has lately lost veteran arms like James Shields, Drew Pomeranz, Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross. There should be no shortage of opportunities for Chacin in San Diego. As of this afternoon, they had Christian Friedrich (who has never posted an ERA below 4.80 in the big leagues) top their starting pitching depth chart; below him was Luis Perdomo, who had a 5.71 ERA, 6.4 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 while pitching as a Rule 5 player last season.
The 28-year-old Chacin began last season in a somewhat similar situation but on a minor league deal with the Braves, who later traded him to the Angels to plug their rotation, which was riddled with injuries. All told, Chacin ate 144 innings, posting a 4.81 ERA, 7.4 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9. That line, of course, is somewhat underwhelming, and Chacin’s modest velocity and fairly recent history of shoulder trouble also limit his upside somewhat.
On the bright side, Chacin’s peripherals were a bit better than his ERA, and he gets his fair share of ground balls, with a 48.4 GB% last season. Before that, he managed to survive several seasons pitching in Coors Field, and spending two-thirds of one’s career with the Rockies and retaining a 3.94 ERA is no mean feat. Whatever his virtues, though, the Padres likely won’t expect Chacin to be perfect, only to help them get through what could be a tough season.
Diamondbacks Sign Keyvius Sampson To Minor League Deal
The Diamondbacks have signed righty Keyvius Sampson to a minor league deal, and he’s expected to compete for a bullpen role this spring, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic tweets. Sampson is a client of Reynolds Sports Management.
The Reds non-tendered Sampson earlier this month after he posted a 4.35 ERA with 9.6 K/9 but also 6.2 BB/9 in 39 1/3 innings in 2016. The 25-year-old Sampson did have success at Triple-A Louisville, though, posting a 1.88 ERA, 9.0 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 62 1/3 innings while both starting and pitching in relief.
Sampson has yet to latch on in two seasons with the Reds and didn’t attract a waiver claim either time he was designated for assignment this year. He is, however, young for a minor league signee with big league experience, and he has never gotten an extended chance, either in the Majors or the minors, to blossom as a reliever rather than as a starter. His fastball has also averaged about 93 MPH in the big leagues.
Minor MLB Transactions: 12/17/16
Here are today’s minor transactions from around the league:
- The White Sox have re-signed righty Blake Smith to a minor league deal, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets. (Heyman had previously reported it was the Padres who had signed Smith, but that seems to have been incorrect.) Chicago non-tendered Smith two weeks ago. The 29-year-old made his big-league debut in 2016, pitching 4 1/3 innings for the White Sox, but he’s perhaps a little more interesting than that pedigree suggests — he played his first several pro seasons as an outfielder before moving to the mound in 2013 as a 25-year-old, and he’s since made good progress getting through the minors, posting a 3.53 ERA, 9.5 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 71 1/3 innings for Triple-A Charlotte in 2016 while throwing his fastball in the 93-MPH range in his big-league stint. The Padres selected Smith in the second round of the Rule 5 Draft in 2015 but ultimately returned him to the White Sox.
- The Marlins have signed righty Javy Guerra to a minor league deal, tweets MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. The 31-year-old Guerra pitched briefly for the Angels in 2016 but spent most of the year with Triple-A Salt Lake, where he posted a 4.35 ERA, 9.9 K/9 and 5.4 BB/9 in 51 2/3 innings. As that line suggests, Guerra has struggled with his control, and his 4.3 career MLB BB/9 has probably been his biggest impediment to sustained success (although he’s also had injury issues, and he missed 50 games in 2015 due to a drug suspension). Nonetheless, he has had strong seasons with the Dodgers and White Sox in parts of six years in the big leagues, and his experience could be valuable to the Marlins as they continue to address their bullpen.
Phillies To Sign Bryan Holaday To Minor League Deal
The Phillies have agreed to terms with catcher Bryan Holaday on a minor league deal, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick tweets. Holaday is represented by Lagardere Sports.
Holaday is expected to compete for the backup catcher job in Philadelphia, Crasnick notes. Cameron Rupp currently is slated to start. The Phillies also appear likely to have 2016 Triple-A catcher Andrew Knapp in camp, along with top prospect Jorge Alfaro, with Holaday providing the team with a more veteran option. A.J. Ellis, who finished the 2016 season as the Phillies’ backup, recently signed a one-year deal with the Marlins.
The 29-year-old Holaday began the 2016 season with the Rangers, then headed to the Red Sox on a waiver claim. The Red Sox ultimately non-tendered him rather than paying a projected $900K salary. For the year, he batted .231/.281/.359 over 129 plate appearances, roughly in line with his career .245/.282/.346 marks in parts of five big-league seasons. He caught eight of 21 batters attempting to steal.
Jose Abreu, White Sox Avoid Arbitration
The White Sox have announced that they’ve avoided arbitration with slugger Jose Abreu, signing him to a one-year deal for 2017. Abreu will receive $10.825MM, MLB.com’s Phil Rogers tweets. Abreu is a client of ISE Baseball.
MLBTR had projected Abreu would make $12MM next season, with the caveat that Abreu’s situation required us to be somewhat more speculative than usual. Last month, Abreu opted out of the last three years and $34MM remaining on his guaranteed contract, instead letting his next three years of salaries be dictated by the arbitration process. Abreu’s salaries in his first few seasons were already large, unlike almost all players entering their arbitration years, since he arrived in the league as a veteran from Cuba. A player’s arbitration-year salary is typically dictated in large part by what he earned the previous season, and reductions in salary from one year to the next are rare.
MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes argued that the baseline salary from which Abreu’s 2017 figure would be determined was $11.66MM, or Abreu’s $10MM 2016 salary plus a sixth of the $10MM signing bonus on his original contract with the White Sox. Players entering arbitration with statistics similar to Abreu’s, such as Giancarlo Stanton, received significantly less than $11.66MM in their first trips through, though, so the idea was that Abreu would receive only a token raise on that $11.66MM for 2017.
It appears, however, that Abreu will actually receive a bit less than that (although he’ll still receive slightly more than the $10.5MM he would have gotten had he not opted into arbitration). It could be that both parties figured Abreu’s signing bonus would not have been a significant factor for an arbitrator in determining his 2017 salary.
The 29-year-old Abreu had his worst season in the big leagues in 2016, although his offensive marks were still excellent — he batted a fine .293/.353/.468, with his 25 home runs paling only in comparison to his 36-homer total in 2014 and 30-homer mark the following year. His numbers at first base rank as below average, so he has little defensive value, but he remains one of the game’s more capable hitters. His name has lately come up in trade rumors as the White Sox have traded veteran teammates like Chris Sale and Adam Eaton, and the Rockies have reportedly shown interest. Abreu’s 2017 salary was unlikely to be a significant impediment to a trade, but if the White Sox do end up dealing him now, their trade partners will at least know exactly what his salary next season will be.
Twins Sign J.B. Shuck To Minor League Deal
The Twins have signed outfielder J.B. Shuck to a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite, MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger tweets. SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo first noted that the two sides were in talks.
The 29-year-old Shuck collected 241 plate appearances with the White Sox in 2016 but batted a mere .205/.248/.299. He also graded out poorly on defense and finished the season with -1.7 fWAR, finishing ahead of only three other position players throughout the big leagues.
Shuck does, however, carry a lifetime .300/.375/.386 line in parts of six seasons at Triple-A, and he has logged time at all three outfield positions. He could provide good depth for an organization that currently features a mix of young outfielders that includes Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, and Max Kepler along with Danny Santana and Robbie Grossman.