Mets Place Six Players On Outright Waivers
The Mets have put six players on outright waivers, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Outfielder Tim Locastro and pitchers Denyi Reyes, Bryce Montes de Oca, John Curtiss, Elieser Hernández and Peyton Battenfield are now available to other clubs.
Locastro, best known for his speed, got into 43 games. He hit .232/.338/.393 in 67 trips to the dish. Locastro has played for four major league clubs, compiling a .228/.327/.337 slash in 290 MLB contests. He has 45 stolen bases in 50 career attempts, including a perfect 6-6 showing this year.
Reyes and Hernández were expected to be depth starters for New York in 2023. The former pitched nine times (including three starts), turning in a 7.78 ERA across 19 2/3 innings. Hernández never pitched as a Met. Acquired in a trade with the Marlins last offseason, he spent almost the whole season on the injured list with shoulder and pectoral concerns.
Curtiss pitched 15 times for New York after rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He posted a 4.58 ERA through 19 2/3 innings. His season ended a bit early when he underwent surgery to remove a loose body from his elbow, although he is expected to be ready for Spring Training.
Montes de Oca lost the entire ’23 campaign after undergoing a Tommy John procedure in March. New York claimed Battenfield off waivers from the Guardians in the season’s final month, keeping him in Triple-A. Neither Montes de Oca nor Battenfield have the requisite service time to become free agents. They’d remain with the Mets as non-roster players if they clear waivers. The others will likely choose free agency unless another team places a claim.
Reds Re-Sign Tony Santillan To Minors Deal
The Reds announced earlier this evening that the club has re-signed right-hander Tony Santillan to the a minor-league contract. The deal includes an invitation to Spring Training in 2024. Santillan, 26, was designated for assignment by the club back in August and outrighted back in September.
Santillan, a second-round pick by the Reds in the 2015 draft, began his career in the minor leagues as a full-time starter before converting into more of a swing role in 2021. Upon making his major league debut with Cincinnati that year, he made four starts alongside 22 relief appearances for a total of 43 1/3 innings of work. Santillan’s run prevention numbers were nothing short of excellent during that time, with a 2.91 ERA despite a mediocre 4.62 FIP. The solid performance earned Santillan a spot in the club’s Opening Day bullpen in 2022, though he managed just 19 1/3 innings of work before being sidelined with a low back strain for the remainder of the season, ending the year with a 5.49 ERA and 4.08 FIP.
That back injury carried into the 2023 campaign, leaving Santillan behind on his throwing program as he opened the season on the injured list. Santillan was eventually activated in July, though he ultimately made just three appearances with the Reds this year, throwing 3 1/3 innings with a 2.70 ERA while recording just one strikeout against one walk. Upon his demotion to Louisville, he struggled badly with a 7.88 ERA in 32 innings throughout the rest of the season.
Despite those brutal numbers in the minors to end his season, there’s certainly reason to believe Santillan could be a solid bullpen piece for the club in 2024 given his previous big league success and relative youth. With such a lengthy injury history since making his major league debut, Santillan enters the 2024 campaign as something of an unknown commodity but figures to compete for a spot in the club’s bullpen alongside established relievers like Alexis Diaz, Lucas Sims, and Sam Moll. After a surprisingly competitive 2023 campaign in Cincinnati, the club could look to upgrade their bullpen this offseason after the club’s relief corps posted a middle-of-the-pack 4.11 ERA this past season. Though Santillan’s return is unlikely to move the needle much in terms of impact, it shores up the club’s bullpen depth with a young arm who could be a solid middle reliever if he can recapture his 2021 form.
Seth Lugo Declines Player Option With Padres
Seth Lugo has declined a $7.5MM player option with the Padres, reports Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 (X link). He’s a free agent and will be permitted to commence negotiations with other teams on Monday.
This was one of the league’s easiest opt-out decisions. Lugo inked a two-year, $15MM guarantee last winter. A longtime reliever with the Mets, he prioritized finding a rotation job. Lugo sought to demonstrate he could hold up as a starter before getting back to the open market.
He did just that. The right-hander worked 146 2/3 innings across 26 starts, pitching to a 3.57 ERA. Lugo struck out a solid 23.2% of opposing hitters while keeping his walks to a tidy 6% clip. Now that he has established himself as a mid-rotation starter, he should find a much better guarantee than he had 12 months ago. Even a couple weeks from his 34th birthday, Lugo has a good case for a three-year pact.
The Padres could issue Lugo a $20.325MM qualifying offer. It’s questionable whether they’re willing to risk that kind of one-year salary in an offseason in which they’re expected to slice payroll. San Diego also faces the potential departures of Blake Snell, Michael Wacha and Nick Martinez (the latter two of whom have complicated option decisions in their contracts) from a rotation they’ll need to address over the coming months.
Jorge Soler Opts Out Of Deal With Marlins
Jorge Soler has informed the Marlins he is declining his $13MM player option for next season, reports Craig Mish of SportsGrid (Twitter link). He is a free agent and will be able to begin negotiating with other teams on Monday.
It’s an entirely unsurprising decision. Soler, 32 in February, is coming off his best season in a few years. He connected on 36 home runs with a .250/.341/.512 batting line. The right-handed hitter walked at a strong 11.4% clip while cutting his strikeout rate to a manageable 24.3%.
That marked a strong rebound showing after a tough first year in South Florida. Originally signed to a three-year, $36MM guarantee during the 2021-22 offseason, Soler slumped to a .207/.295/.400 slash over 72 games a season ago. He had an opt-out possibility last winter but understandably forewent a trip to the open market. With a much better platform performance, he’ll get to the market this time around.
While Soler’s opt-out call was made without much suspense, it puts the onus on Miami to answer a more interesting question. The Fish have until Monday to determine whether to tender a $20.325MM qualifying offer. If they do, Soler would have just over a week to gauge the market before deciding if he wants to accept.
In the event Miami opts against the QO or Soler declines one, he’ll be one of the top offensive players in a rough free agent class. Soler doesn’t offer much defensive value. He’s a well below-average corner outfielder who spent the majority of his time at designated hitter this past season. Miami plugged him into right field for just 241 2/3 innings. Few impending free agents can match his power upside, although Soler’s pre-2023 production has been inconsistent.
Miami’s QO decision is clouded by an uncertain front office picture. General manager Kim Ng recently departed the organization and the club has yet to name her replacement. Brian Chattin is leading the front office on an interim basis. Miami also awaits an opt-out decision from first baseman Josh Bell, while they’re sure to decline team provisions on Johnny Cueto and Matt Barnes.
Cubs Outright Three Players
The Cubs have assigned right-handers Jeremiah Estrada and Nick Burdi as well as infielder Jared Young outright to the minor leagues, reports Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic. Burdi has the requisite service time to reject the assignment and elect free agency, while Estrada and Young will have the opportunity to enter minor league free agency later this month unless added back to the 40-man roster. The club’s 40-man roster now stands at 37.
Estrada, who celebrated his 25th birthday yesterday, was a sixth-round pick by Chicago in the 2017 draft. Estrada dealt with elbow troubles early in his career before being hospitalized with COVID-19 in August 2021, leaving him with just 40 professional innings prior to the 2022 campaign. Estrada’s rise in 2022 was impressive, however, as he posted a 1.30 ERA while striking out 40.4% of batters faced in 48 1/3 innings of work across three levels of the minors that year. The reliever’s exceptional minor league numbers earned him a brief cup of coffee with the big league club last season, during which he posted a solid 3.18 ERA and a 4.17 FIP over 5 2/3 innings of work.
Estrada’s strong 2022 earned him a longer audition as a member of the Chicago bullpen this season, though his stint in the majors did not go well with a 6.75 ERA and a 9.07 FIP as he walked a whopping 12 batters in 10 2/3 innings of work across 12 appearances. His minor league numbers also suffered, with a 5.97 ERA in 28 2/3 Triple-A innings of work, though he still struck out 31.5% of batters faced at the level this season. In the event Estrada hits free agency, he figures to be an attractive candidate for a minor league deal to clubs interested in adding relief depth thanks to his youth and big strikeout numbers in the minor leagues.
Burdi, 30, was a second-round pick by the Twins in the 2014 draft and eventually made his big league debut with the Pirates in 2018. He managed just 16 appearances from 2018-20 due to injuries, posting a 9.49 ERA along the way. Ugly as his run prevention numbers were, he struck out 38.3% of batters faced over that time. Burdi did not pitch in 2021 or 2022 due to injuries, but joined the Cubs through the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft last offseason. Unfortunately, Burdi managed just three innings of work before once again hitting the injured list, this time due to appendicitis. Overall, Burdi sports a career 9.39 ERA in 15 1/3 major league innings.
Young, 28, was a 15th-round pick by the Cubs in the 2017 draft and first made his major league debut in a six-game cup of coffee last year, slashing .263/.364/.368 in his 22 trips to the plate in the majors. That slash line more or less reflected his numbers at Triple-A that year, where he posted a .230/.311/.420 slash line in 109 games. Young returned to the Cubs at the Triple-A level and took a step forward with the bat, crushing the ball to the tune of a .310/.417/.577 slash line with 21 home runs in just 90 games. Unfortunately, that success did not translate to the big league level, where he hit just .186/.255/.465 across sixteen games. Nonetheless, Young could be an attractive candidate for teams on a minor league deal this offseason due to his strong Triple-A numbers and ability to play capable defense at all four corners.
Yankees Place Domingo German, Five Others On Outright Waivers
The Yankees have placed six players on outright waivers, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (X link). Starter Domingo Germán, relievers Ryan Weber, Jimmy Cordero and Matt Bowman and outfielders Franchy Cordero and Billy McKinney were let go. All six players have the requisite service time to become free agents if they go unclaimed.
Germán is the most notable of the group. The right-hander pitched parts of six seasons for the Yankees, turning in a 4.41 ERA across 522 1/3 innings. He tallied 108 2/3 frames this year — the second-highest workload of his career — while allowing 4.56 earned runs per nine.
That pedestrian ERA belies the highs and lows of his season. Germán threw the first perfect game in more than a decade on June 28, completing the feat in Oakland. He allowed four or more runs in eight of his 19 appearances overall, though. Germán’s season ended in early August when the Yankees placed the pitcher on the restricted list so he could report for in-patient treatment for alcohol abuse. That was reportedly preceded by an incident in the New York clubhouse, which he had entered intoxicated.
Germán was eligible for arbitration this offseason. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected a $4.4MM salary if he were tendered a contract. That always made him a likely non-tender candidate. Germán turned 31 in August.
Jimmy Cordero posted a 3.86 ERA with strong peripherals over 32 2/3 innings. Major League Baseball announced in early July that he would be suspended for the remainder of the 2023 season after violating the domestic violence policy.
The rest of the players are back-of-the-roster depth types. Weber pitched 14 1/3 innings of five-run ball over eight appearances. McKinney hit .227/.320/.406 in 147 plate appearances after signing a minor league deal over the offseason. Franchy Cordero got into 24 contests after signing a big league deal late in Spring Training. The left-handed hitter posted a .188/.211/.478 line with six homers and a 35.2% strikeout rate. Bowman made three relief appearances, his first MLB action since 2019. He posted a 3.99 ERA in 58 2/3 innings at Triple-A.
Omar Narvaez Exercises Player Option
Catcher Omar Narváez has exercised his player option with the Mets, as first reported by Will Sammon of the Athletic (X link). He’ll return to the club on a $7MM salary.
The decision comes without much intrigue. New York signed the left-handed hitting catcher to a two-year, $15MM guarantee last offseason. Narváez didn’t produce much during his first season in Queens, hitting .211/.283/.297 with a pair of home runs in 49 games. He missed a couple months early on with a strained left calf.
That was a second straight down year for Narváez, who hit .206/.292/.305 during his final season with the Brewers. The consecutive mediocre showings made it unlikely he’d secure a salary nearly as strong as the option value. As a result, he’ll return as the #2 catcher behind second-year player Francisco Alvarez before becoming a free agent during the 2024-25 offseason.
The Mets have two additional option decisions over the next few days. Right-hander Adam Ottavino holds a $6.75MM player option, while the club has a $6.5MM provision on southpaw Brooks Raley.
Brewers Decline Options On Andrew Chafin, Justin Wilson
The Brewers have declined their options on left-handed relievers Andrew Chafin and Justin Wilson, tweets Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.
Chafin, a 33-year-old lefty reliever, lingered on the free agent market last winter until mid-February. He signed a one-year, $6.25MM deal to return to the Diamondbacks, the team that made him a first-round pick out of Kent State nearly 12 years prior. Chafin took a share of Arizona’s closing duties this year, logging eight saves but with some rough outings along the way. He was able to punch out nearly a third of batters faced with Arizona, but also walked 12% of them. Having added Paul Sewald from the Mariners, the D’Backs shipped Chafin to Milwaukee for righty Peter Strzelecki.
Chafin struggled mightily with the Brewers, unable to curb the walks or maintain a healthy strikeout rate. In a stretch in late August, Chafin was battered for nine earned runs in 3 1/3 innings spanning five outings. He righted the ship in September, at least ERA-wise, but the southpaw’s $725K buyout was an easy call for the Brewers as compared to his $7.25MM club option.
Wilson, another veteran lefty, did not pitch in 2023. He underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2022, after which the Brewers signed him on a $1MM guarantee. The Brewers reinstated Wilson from the 60-day IL in late July, but before he could get into a game he went back to the IL with a lat strain. That injury knocked him out for the rest of the season, leaving little chance Milwaukee would choose the $2.5MM club option over his $150K buyout.
Chafin and Wilson will join the free agent market for lefty relievers, and figure to sign one-year deals.
The Brewers do have some lefty depth in the bullpen, as Hoby Milner posted a fine 2023 season. Aaron Ashby, who underwent April labrum surgery, wasn’t able to build back up to help the Brewers this year but should be good to go in Spring Training. Ashby is a potential rotation candidate as well.
Brewers Claim Vinny Capra From Pirates
The Brewers have claimed infielder Vinny Capra off waivers from the Pirates, according to an announcement from Pittsburgh.
Capra, 27, was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 20th round back in 2018 out of the University of Richmond, where he played shortstop for the Spiders. Though never a top prospect, Capra got the call to make his MLB debut with the Jays in late April of last year. He picked up only seven plate appearances for Toronto, but was able to log his first big league hit with a single off Brooks Raley.
Capra had middle finger tendon surgery in October 2022, after which the Jays non-tendered him. He’d managed a 114 wRC+ at Triple-A that year, playing shortstop, third base, and left field. Capra re-signed with the Jays on a minor league deal, but was traded to the Pirates in late April of this year for catcher Tyler Heineman. After more solid work at Triple-A, the Pirates selected Capra’s contract on trade deadline day. He moved up and down and picked up only 21 plate appearances, including his first big league double off the Royals’ Angel Zerpa.
Milwaukee is not a bad place to land for an aspiring utility infielder. They currently project to have Brice Turang at second base, Willy Adames at shortstop, and Andruw Monasterio at third base. Only Adames’ role seems secure, except that the Brewers may consider trading him given a projected $12.4MM arbitration salary. The Brewers do have Owen Miller and Abraham Toro also on the 40-man roster as infield depth, plus third base prospect Tyler Black close to making his big league debut.
Considering the claim of Capra, the re-signing of Colin Rea, the declining of options for Andrew Chafin and Justin Wilson, and Wade Miley‘s pending free agency, the Brewers currently have 34 players on their 40-man roster. That could drop further if the Brewers choose to non-tender Toro, Rowdy Tellez, or Brandon Woodruff by the non-tender deadline about two weeks from now.
Mariners Acquire Cody Bolton From Pirates
The Pirates have traded reliever Cody Bolton to the Mariners for cash considerations, according to an announcement from Pittsburgh.
Bolton, 25, was drafted in the sixth round in 2017 out of Tracy High School in California. By the end of the 2019 season, Bolton had made his way to Double-A as a starter.
However, the 2020 minor league season was wiped out by COVID-19, and Bolton missed all of 2021 due to knee surgery. Fortunately, Bolton recovered and made his MLB debut for the Pirates on April 29th on the road against the Nationals. He spent the season moving up and down from Triple-A. Bolton pitched fairly well at Triple-A, but only managed a 6.33 ERA, 20.6 K%, and 14.0 BB% in the Majors across 21 1/3 innings.
Though still in contention, the Mariners traded closer Paul Sewald to the Diamondbacks at the deadline this year due to the strength of their bullpen. Their projected bullpen for 2024 is currently anchored by Andres Munoz, Matt Brash, Justin Topa, and Gabe Speier. Bolton will vie for a spot with that group and hope some of the team’s success with less than household names carries over to him.