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Latest On Angels’ GM Search

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OCT. 30, 6:07pm: Brewers assistant GM Matt Arnold has also interviewed with the Angels, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Arnold was a candidate for Pittsburgh’s GM vacancy last winter, but that position went to Ben Cherington.

3:47pm: Ricciardi is not a candidate, Fletcher tweets. Former Giants GM Bobby Evans has received an interview, though, and Mariners assistant GM Justin Hollander (formerly with the Angels) is also in the mix, according to Fletcher. Additionally, they’ve reached out to Eddie Bane, their former scouting director, to gauge his interest in the GM job, Robert Murray reports.

OCT. 29, 11:01pm; Former Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill, Nationals special assistant to the GM Dan Jennings and Cubs VP of player personnel Jason McLeod are also in the running, according to Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.

10:28pm: The Angels have moved slowly to find a new general since firing Billy Eppler at the end of September, but at least a few names have emerged for the job, per reports from Robert Murray, Jon Heyman of MLB Network, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times and Mike Puma of the New York Post.

According to the aforementioned group of reporters, Diamondbacks assistant general managers Jared Porter and Amiel Sawdaye, Athletics assistant Billy Owens and Padres senior advisor Logan White have all interviewed for the job in Anaheim. Giants special advisor J.P. Ricciardi, once the Blue Jays’ GM, is also in the running. The Angels also contacted Cubs vice president of scouting Dan Kantrovitz to gauge his interest in the position, but he’s not a candidate. Kantrovitz turned down the Angels’ overtures and will stay with the Cubs in 2021, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.

While both Porter and Sawdaye received new contracts with the Diamondbacks just over a year ago, perhaps they’re amenable to taking over another team’s baseball operations. Owens just finished his 19th season in the A’s front office, though he may be open to a change with executive VP Billy Beane possibly set to pursue other interests. And then there’s White, who previously worked for the Dodgers but has been with the Padres since before 2015.

Of course, anyone succeeding Eppler will be taking over a fairly appealing situation. The Angels have missed the postseason six times in a row, but they have the game’s best player, center fielder Mike Trout, as well as a great complement in third baseman Anthony Rendon. Infielder David Fletcher, two-way player Shohei Ohtani, young outfielder Jo Adell and starters Dylan Bundy and Andrew Heaney are also on hand. Plus, owner Arte Moreno has typically been willing to spend, so the budget shouldn’t be a hindrance for the club’s next GM.

Juan Soto Likely To Reach Super Two Status

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The official Super Two cutoff for this winter hasn’t yet been established, but it’s expected that Nationals outfielder Juan Soto will surpass it, Todd Dybas of NBC Sports Washington reports. That should put the 22-year-old slugger in line for a lucrative pay raise over the minimal amount he earned in 2020, and it could perhaps lead to a record-setting salary for a first-time arbitration-eligible player.

As a reminder, Super Two status gives a player who has more than two but fewer than three years’ service time a chance to go to arbitration four times instead of the typical three. Soto has amassed two years and 134 service time during what has been a brilliant career so far.

Since he broke into the majors in 2018, Soto has slashed an otherworldly .295/.415/.557 with 69 home runs and 23 stolen bases in 1,349 plate appearances, and he helped lead the Nationals to a World Series in 2019. The Nationals didn’t come close to defending their championship this year, but Soto did all he could to keep the team on top. As a 22-year-old, he was likely the best hitter in baseball, leading the NL in all three triple-slash categories (.351/.490/.695) with 13 HRs and six steals over 196 PA. Soto also totaled far more walks (53, including 12 intentional passes) than strikeouts (28).

While it’s unclear exactly how the arbitration process will unfold on the heels of a 60-game season, MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects Soto will rake in anywhere from $4.5MM to $8.5MM. Even at the high end, though, Soto would fall short of the record $11.5MM salary then-first-time arb-eligible player Cody Bellinger received in 2018.

Nationals Decline 2021 Options On Four Players

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The Nationals have declined their 2021 options on right fielder Adam Eaton, right-hander Anibal Sanchez, first baseman Eric Thames and infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick, per a club announcement. Eaton’s five-year, $23.5MM deal contained club options for the 2020 season ($9.5MM) and the 2021 season ($10.5MM with a $1.5MM buyout). The Nats picked up his 2020 option last winter but will buy him out on the heels of a woeful season at the plate.

Sanchez’s two-year, $19MM deal with the Nats contained a $12MM club option with a $2MM buyout. Thames signed a one-year, $4MM deal last winter — one that came with a $4MM mutual option and a $1MM buyout. Kendrick’s $6.25MM deal with the Nats came with a $4MM salary in 2020 but a hefty $2.25MM buyout on a $6.5MM mutual option for 2021. All four players will be paid those buyouts and head back to the open market.

Eaton, 32 in December, was acquired in the blockbuster trade that sent pitching prospects Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning to the White Sox — all three of whom started games for the South Siders in 2020. Giolito has emerged as one of the game’s best young pitchers since the trade, but the others have yet to solidify themselves as consistent arms. (Dunning will surely get that chance in 2021.)

While Eaton’s time with the Nats ended with a whimper — he batted just .226/.285/.384 in 2020 — he was a key member of 2019’s World Series roster. Eaton appeared in 151 games with the Nats in that championship season, batting .279/.365/.428 with 15 homers, 25 doubles, seven triples and 15 steals. He had a quiet postseason before breaking out to go 8-for-25 with a pair of homers and four walks during the 2019 World Series.

From 2014-19, Eaton batted .289/.367/.423 with 51 homers, 133 doubles, 37 triples and 74 steals, and any club that signs him this winter will hope for a return to that level of productivity. He’s never won a Gold Glove — he very arguably should have in 2016 — but Eaton has a solid defensive reputation in right field. He’s unlikely to return to those 2016 heights that saw him log 27 Defensive Runs Saved and an 18.5 Ultimate Zone Rating in right field, but Eaton has a solid track record of above-average power, speed and glovework that should appeal to clubs at something less than the one-year, $10.5MM price point on which the Nats passed.

Sanchez, 37 in February, improbably revitalized his career for a second act when he latched on with the 2017 Braves at the end of Spring Training. Sanchez parlayed a brilliant rebound campaign with the Braves into a two-year, $19MM deal in D.C. and, like Eaton, provided considerable value to the World Champs in 2019. That season saw Sanchez rack up 166 innings of 3.85 ERA ball, and he went on to give the Nats 18 innings with a 2.50 ERA in the postseason — including a dominant, 7 2/3-inning scoreless effort against the Cardinals in Game 1 of the NLCS.

Unfortunately for Sanchez and the Nats, his 2020 season swung in the other direction. He pitched 53 innings and was tattooed for a 6.62 ERA in that time, but there’s no denying the crucial role he played in helping the Nats to their first World Series title.

Speaking of that World Series, Kendrick will go down in Nationals lore as perhaps the biggest hero of the whole season. His epic grand slam put away the Dodgers in the decisive Game 5 of the NLDS, and Kendrick again played savior when he banged what looked like a perfectly located pitch from Will Harris off the right foul pole to put the Nats on top over the Astros in Game 7 of the World Series.

Kendrick battled through injuries in his return to the Nats in 2020, however, taking just 100 plate appearances and posting a solid but unremarkable .275/.320/.385 slash in that time. Kendrick isn’t certain whether he’ll play again in 2020 or retire at this point, so he’ll take some time to ponder his future.

Thames inked a one-year deal with the Nats last winter but never really found his footing. He took 140 turns at the plate but managed only a .203/.300/.317 batting line in that small sample. The former KBO star slugged 72 homers in the three prior seasons with the Brewers, and he could fit on a club looking for a lefty bat that can platoon at first base or in the outfield corners. Given the scope of his 2020 struggles, he may need to earn his way onto a roster via a minor league deal, however.

Jake Irvin Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

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  • Nationals right-handed pitching prospect Jake Irvin underwent Tommy John surgery last week, Byron Kerr of MASNsports.com tweets. He’s likely to miss the entirety of the 2021 season as a result. The 23-year-old Irvin, whom MLB.com rates as the Nationals’ 21st-best prospect, threw 128 1/3 innings of 3.79 ERA/4.13 FIP ball during his Single-A debut in 2019.

Nationals Bring Back Kevin Long As Hitting Coach

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Contrary to a prior report, the Washington Nationals have agreed to bring back hitting coach Kevin Long on a one-year deal, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (via Twitter). Long’s previous three-year contract just expired, and he had been one of the highest paid hitting coaches in the game, per The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli (via Twitter). The initial split seems to have been merely a failure to reach an agreement on a new deal. Though we don’t know the terms, the two sides have apparently struck a compromise on a one-year pact.

After being extended this past season, manager Dave Martinez was given some hiring power this offseason. He has had the opportunity to build out his coaching staff for the first time since taking over as manager. Thus far, the biggest change has been moving on from Paul Menhart as pitching coach. The longtime organizational pitching coach was replaced by Jim Hickey. Martinez and Hickey were on Joe Maddon’s staff together from 2008 to 2014 with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Martinez and the Nats also moved on from Chip Hale, who spent last season as the third base coach. Hale was hired as the bench coach, meant to help Martinez along as he got his feet wet in his first managerial position. He served in that role when the Nats won the World Series in 2019. In 2020, however, Martinez rotated some of his staff, moving Hale to third base, Bob Henley from third to first, and Tim Bogar from first base coach to the bench.

With Long re-installed as the hitting coach, Martinez needs only to fill Hale’s spot at third base to fill out his 2021 staff. Henry Blanco returns as the bullpen coach, and Pat Roessler will presumably return as the assistant hitting coach.

Nationals Re-Sign Josh Harrison

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The Nationals announced Thursday that they’ve re-signed infielder/outfielder Josh Harrison. It’s a one-year deal for the MSM Sports client. The deal starts with a $1MM base salary. Incentives beginning at 200 plate appearances could add as much as $250K to the total, per Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post (via Twitter).

Harrison was a two-time All-Star with the Pirates before entering this nomadic phase of his career, bouncing between the Tigers, Phillies, and Nats over the past two seasons. Harrison joined the Nats early in 2020 after the Phillies cut him loose before Opening Day. He quickly became a favorite of the coaching staff  in DC for his versatility and clubhouse presence. Once Starlin Castro broke his wrist, Harrison’s responsibilities turned from veteran cheerleader to concrete on-field contributor. The 33-year-old slashed .278/.352/.418 across 91 plate appearances while splitting his time between second, third, and the outfield corners.

For the Nats, they secure someone that they view as a key piece of their bench in 2021 – a player with a skill set they highly value – at a very reasonable price. Harrison will provide  security in backing up Castro, Luis Garcia, and Carter Kieboom between second and third, while also serving as a fifth outfielder of sorts. The Nats are potentially losing Asdrubal Cabrera from their infield mix and Adam Eaton from the outfield, and while they likely don’t want to promise those at-bats to Harrison, he does provide depth all around the diamond, which has been an area of need for the Nats in recent seasons.

Harrison fits the mold of a “Davey Martinez guy,” as a veteran with a positive attitude in the mold of Gerardo Parra, Kurt Suzuki, or Cabrera. Per MLB.com’s Jessica Camerato (via Twitter), Martinez said: “He’s fun to be around. He understands the game. He’s a true constant every single day. You never have to tell him to be ready. He’s always ready, no matter what. … For me, that’s what you want on this team. He fits in.”

Nationals Hire Jim Hickey As Pitching Coach

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The Washington Nationals have named Jim Hickey their next pitching coach, the club announced. Hickey, 59, spent the past two seasons as a special assistant for player development for the Dodgers.

The move does not come as a surprise, as manager Davey Martinez had been expected to bring in people from his past to join the coaching staff. Martinez, having recently been extended, has been granted the opportunity to hand-pick his coaching staff for the first time since taking over as Washington’s manager. He will also be selecting a new bench coach at some point this offseason.

Hickey and Martinez go all the way back to their days together on Joe Maddon’s staff in Tampa Bay. The pair worked together in Tampa for seven seasons from 2008 to 2014. Hickey, of course, comes with his own set of qualifications, having spent 15 years as a pitching coach – most recently with the Cubs in 2018.

Paul Menhart had been the Nationals pitching coach for the last year and a half, taking over midway through 2019. His ascension to the bench coincided with the Nats’ turnaround, and Menhart was credited with helping Stephen Strasburg make key adjustments during their World Series victory over the Astros. A long-time organizational coach, Menhart was informed recently that he would not be brought back.

Hickey has plenty of material to work with in Washington, who boast a three-headed monster at the top of their rotation in Strasburg, Max Scherzer, and Patrick Corbin. The back half of the rotation tells a different tale, however, as Joe Ross, Erick Fedde, and Austin Voth have been unable to fully claim rotation spots. Along with a bullpen that’s perpetually in question, Hickey will be tasked with steering their pitching corps back in the direction of the foundational unit it’s been for the franchise prior to 2020.

Michael A. Taylor Clears Waivers, Elects Free Agency

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Nationals outfielder Michael A. Taylor has cleared waivers and elected free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Fresno, per a team announcement. The 29-year-old was arbitration-eligible this winter but stood as a clear non-tender candidate on the heels of a rough 2020 season. The decision to pass him through waivers effectively amounts to an early non-tender.

Taylor made $3.25MM with the Nationals in 2020 — about $1.17MM prorated — but scuffled to a .196/.253/.424 batting line in 99 plate appearances. It was the third straight below-average season at the plate for Taylor, who peaked with a .271/.320/.486 slash and 19 dingers back in 2017 but hasn’t produced since. The Nats sent Taylor to the minors for much of the 2019 season, but with a projected raise into the mid-$3MM range and a three-year slash line of .225/.284/.370, the club will instead move on.

While Taylor has struggled at the plate in recent years, he still has some pop in his bat and the ability to play any of three outfield spots well. Strikeouts have long been an issue and likely will continue to be, but Taylor has a .175 ISO (slugging minus batting average) since 2017 and boasts career marks of +23 Defensive Runs Saved and +10.6 Ultimate Zone Rating (4.8 UZR/150) in nearly 3300 center field innings.

Taylor’s exit could be part of broader-reaching changes in the Washington outfield. The Nats hold a $10.5MM club option over right fielder Adam Eaton, but that seems likely to be bought out after a career-worst year at the plate and a generally injury-interrupted Nationals tenure. The Nats took a look at Juan Soto in right field in the season’s final week — perhaps foreshadowing a changing of the guard in that aspect.

Nationals Outright James Bourque, Raudy Read

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The Nationals announced that they have outrighted hurler James Bourque and catcher Raudy Read to Triple-A Fresno. They now have 34 players on their 40-man roster.

The right-handed Bourque, a 14th-round pick of the Nationals in 2014, has been used sparingly in the majors so far. The 27-year-old debuted with the Nats in 2019 and has since thrown a mere 4 2/3 innings, including four this season. Bourque owns a 5.56 ERA with 10.9 K/9 and 6.2 BB/9 in 43 2/3 frames at the Triple-A level.

Read, 27, has also seen little action in the bigs, where he picked up four hits in 22 plate appearances from 2017-19. He didn’t appear in the majors in 2020, but Read has batted a respectable .272/.311/.511 with 20 home runs in 380 Triple-A plate appearances.

Javy Guerra, Sam Freeman Elect Free Agency

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The Nationals announced that relievers Javy Guerra and Sam Freeman have cleared outright waivers and elected free agency.

After signing minor league contracts with the Nationals over the winter, neither the 34-year-old Guerra nor Freeman, 33, saw a ton of action with the club. Guerra threw 15 2/3 innings of 4.02 ERA/4.53 FIP ball and posted 7.47 K/9 against 4.02 BB/9. The left-handed Freeman allowed just two hits and one run over five innings, but he also issued seven walks and then underwent Tommy John surgery in September.

Guerra will now return to free agency as the owner of a 3.73 ERA/3.99 FIP with 7.31 K/9 and 3.58 BB/9 in 296 2/3 innings. Freeman has amassed 233 2/3 major league frames and recorded a 3.58 ERA/4.01 FIP and 8.94 K/9 against 5.24 BB/9, but he’s unlikely to pitch next year in light of his procedure.

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