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Dee Gordon

Pirates Sign Dee Strange-Gordon To Minors Deal

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The Pirates have signed infielder Dee Strange-Gordon to a minor league contract, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports (Twitter link).  Strange-Gordon will report to Pittsburgh’s Triple-A affiliate.

As Passan notes, Strange-Gordon has made it almost a full circuit around the NL Central within the last five months, after previously being released from minor league deals with the Reds and Brewers, and then he opted out of a minors contract with the Cubs just yesterday.  All of this movement hasn’t resulted in any MLB playing time for Strange-Gordon, though a more clear path back to the majors might exist in the Steel City.

The Pirates have seen their infield depth considerably thinned within the last week, with Colin Moran, Erik Gonzalez, and Phillip Evans all placed on the 10-day injured list.  Gregory Polanco’s own IL stint (due to a bilateral adductor strain) has further subtracted from the position player mix, and Strange-Gordon did accumulate some outfield experience in his three seasons with the Mariners.  While the rebuilding Pirates are more prone to take a look at younger players than a veteran like Strange-Gordon, he can at least provide some depth in the event of any more injuries, or perhaps if any Pittsburgh players are moved prior to the July 30 trade deadline.

While it has been some time since Strange-Gordon was even a league-average hitter, he does offer some multi-positional versatility as a shortstop, second baseman, and outfielder.  Even as his batting declined over three seasons with Seattle, Strange-Gordon was still a threat on the basepaths, going 22-for-27 in stolen base attempts as recently as 2019.

Dee Strange-Gordon Opts Out Of Deal With Cubs

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Veteran infielder Dee Strange-Gordon has opted out of his minor league contract with the Cubs, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN (Twitter link). He’s now a free agent, but Passan adds he’s expected to sign elsewhere in the next few days.

It’s the third time this season Strange-Gordon has been let go from a minor league deal after he didn’t crack the 40-man roster. The speedster signed with the Reds over the winter, was released in Spring Training, and hooked on with the Brewers in April. Strange-Gordon was released by the Brew Crew in late May and signed with the Cubs a few days later.

While Strange-Gordon hit well in a ten-game stint with the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate, his longer run with the Cubs’ top farm team didn’t go well. Between the two organizations, the 33-year-old has hit just .259/.299/.361 across 168 plate appearances in Triple-A West this season. It’s a continuation of Strange-Gordon’s offensive struggles throughout his 2018-20 tenure with the Mariners.

Nevertheless, it’s not surprising to hear there’s still interest in Strange-Gordon around the league. He’s a two-time All-Star and respected veteran who still has plenty of speed and has played both middle infield positions in the minors this year.

Brewers Release Dee Strange-Gordon

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The Brewers have released infielder/outfielder Dee Strange-Gordon, the team announced.  Strange-Gordon signed a minor league deal with the Brew Crew back in April but didn’t receive a call-up to the MLB roster.

This marks the second time within the past few months that Strange-Gordon has been released from a minors pact. The speedy utilityman signed with the Reds over the winter but was cut loose at the end of Spring Training after failing to crack the Opening Day roster. Strange-Gordon is coming off a disappointing three-run in Seattle, where he managed only a .266/.293/.343 line (73 wRC+) over 1091 plate appearances.

To his credit, the two-time All-Star has gotten off to a good start this year in Triple-A. In 45 plate appearances with the Brewers affiliate in Nashville, Strange-Gordon hit .333/.378/.500. It’ll be interesting to see what’s next for Strange-Gordon; after being released by the Reds, he turned down some minor league opportunities in hope of landing a major league offer that never materialized. Even with his hot start in Triple-A, it’s unclear if any other club will now be willing to offer him the chance to step right onto an MLB roster. There’d surely be plenty of interest in the 33-year-old from teams looking to bolster their organizational depth if Strange-Gordon’s willing to accept another minor league offer.

Brewers Sign Dee Strange-Gordon

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April 21: The Brewers have now formally announced their minor league agreement with Strange-Gordon. He’s been assigned to their alternate training site for the time being.

April 8: The Brewers have agreed to a minor league contract with infielder/outfielder Dee Strange-Gordon, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets.

Milwaukee will be the second straight National League Central organization for Strange-Gordon, who spent time with Cincinnati during the offseason and in the spring. The Reds ended up releasing him toward the end of March, and though Strange-Gordon subsequently rejected minors offers from other teams, he’ll now settle for one a little over a week into the season.

While the 32-year-old Strange-Gordon has an accomplished resume – two All-Star bids, an NL batting title, a Gold Glove Award and three seasons with at least 58 stolen bases – the former Dodger, Marlin and Mariner has struggled recently. From 2018-20 in Seattle, Strange-Gordon batted a meek .266/.293/.343 (good for a 73 wRC+) in 1,091 trips to the plate. Strange-Gordon stole 55 bags in that span and saw time in the middle infield and multiple outfield positions, but the Mariners made the easy decision to decline his $14MM club option in favor of a $1MM buyout after last season.

Now that he’s joining the Brewers, Strange-Gordon will give the team some middle infield depth behind Kolten Wong and Luis Urias after it dealt Orlando Arcia to the Braves on Tuesday. The Brewers’ outfield boasts Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Avisail Garcia as regulars, while Daniel Robertson and Billy McKinney are on their bench.

Quick Hits: Strange-Gordon, Seager, Universal DH, MLBTR Origins

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Utilityman Dee Strange-Gordon has turned down multiple minor-league offers since being released by the Reds last week, reports Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic (Twitter link). It seems that Strange-Gordon would rather work out independently in hopes that a more direct path back to the majors presents itself as team needs arise during the season. Cincinnati was one of the teams that offered Strange-Gordon a new minor-league opportunity after he failed to crack their Opening Day roster, Rosenthal reports.

More from around baseball:

  • Extension negotiations with Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa have drawn plenty of headlines in recent days. Things have been rather quiet regarding another impending free agent star shortstop, Corey Seager. The Dodgers did make some effort to work out a long-term deal with Seager this spring, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link). Those discussions apparently didn’t get very far, as Heyman notes Seager “will enter the (regular) season without an extension.”
  • There is no expectation of a universal designated hitter for the 2021 season, Heyman reiterates (Twitter link). That has been the case for several weeks but Padres’ right-hander Yu Darvish caught the attention of some fans when he told reporters (including Scott Miller) this afternoon he had “all the trust” the National League DH would be in play this year. MLB and the MLBPA agreed to an expanded playoff format covering the 2020 season mere hours before first pitch on Opening Day last summer, fueling some (unsubstantiated) speculation of a similar last-minute agreement on playoff expansion and the universal DH for 2021 as well.
  • MLBTradeRumors founder Tim Dierkes recently sat down for an interview with Michael Wall of Too Opinionated. Dierkes looked back on the origins of MLBTR and shed some light on the site’s long-term progression and day-to-day management. Wall and Dierkes also discussed their expectations for the upcoming season, the top players still available in free agency, the role of advanced metrics in baseball, and much more.

Reds Release Dee Strange-Gordon, Jesse Biddle

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5:59pm: The Reds have also released Biddle, per Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Biddle saw almost no action with the Reds last season, throwing two-thirds of an inning, but he did toss nine frames of three-run ball and post 12 strikeouts against two walks this spring.

12:19pm: The Reds announced Friday that they’ve released veteran infielder/outfielder Dee Strange-Gordon. They also reassigned lefty Jesse Biddle, lefty Brandon Finnegan and catcher Rocky Gale to minor league camp.

Strange-Gordon, 32, at one point looked to be a candidate to land the shortstop job in Cincinnati. However, over the past several weeks the club has taken a long look at returning Eugenio Suarez to that position. A strong spring showing by infield prospect Jonathan India, who has spent time at second base and third base, has made that outcome more likely.

While Strange-Gordon could’ve still been in line for a bench role, it seems the Reds prefer to go with in-house options like Kyle Farmer, Kyle Holder and perhaps Mike Freeman as utility men off the bench. That’ll send the fleet-footed Strange-Gordon back to the open market on the heels of a solid .281/.361/.313 showing in 36 spring plate appearances. Obviously, the slugging percentage is a bit problematic, but Strange-Gordon also swiped four bases without being caught and walked four times against just five strikeouts. He turned in a disappointing .200/.268/.213 showing with the 2020 Mariners, albeit in just 82 plate appearances.

Reds Sign Dee Strange-Gordon To Minor League Deal

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FEB 8, 4:19pm: Strange-Gordon will earn a base salary of $1MM if he makes the Reds’ roster, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com tweets.

10:25 am: The Reds have announced the signing of Strange-Gordon. He’ll get an invite to spring training with the opportunity to compete for playing time at shortstop and/or in a utility role.

FEB 7: The Reds are in agreement on a minor-league deal with infielder Dee Strange-Gordon, reports Kiley McDaniel of ESPN (via Twitter). The deal contains an invitation to MLB spring training, per C. Trent Rosecrans of the Athletic.

A two-time All-Star and three-time stolen base leader early in his career with the Dodgers and Marlins, Strange-Gordon was traded to the Mariners in advance of the 2018 season. His tenure in Seattle proved to be a disappointment, though. Strange-Gordon never took to the Mariners’ attempt to convert him to a center fielder that year. At the same time, his production at the plate had a significant drop, limiting his opportunities to do damage on the base paths.

Over the past three seasons, Strange-Gordon has hit a meager .266/.293/.343 (73 wRC+). That made Seattle’s decision to decline a $14MM option on his services for 2021 easy. Still, there’s no harm for the Reds in bringing in a respected ten-year veteran on a non-guaranteed pact and giving him an opportunity to compete for a roster spot.

Cincinnati has a glaring hole at shortstop, the position at which Strange-Gordon broke into the big leagues. He’s mostly played second base over the past seven years, but he’s continued to pick up sporadic playing time at short (as well as in the outfield). That’s likely his path to regular playing time with the Reds, who have Mike Moustakas lined up for the lion’s share of work at the keystone. Nevertheless, given Strange-Gordon’s pronounced struggles over the past three years, it’d be surprising if the Reds didn’t bring in additional competition for incumbent shortstop options José García, Kyle Farmer and Kyle Holder. Cincinnati has been in recent contact with Jonathan Villar, arguably the top shortstop still available in free agency.

FA News & Rumors: Puig, Phils, Mets, Dee, Soria

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Despite sitting out all of last season, outfielder Yasiel Puig looks as if he could be an interesting and inexpensive pickup for someone this winter. The problem is that no one seems to be aggressively pursuing Puig. The Royals, Marlins and Yankees have all been connected to Puig in recent weeks, but none of them are going after him, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. Puig, who turned 30 in December, was a standout with the Dodgers earlier in his career, but he endured a mediocre 2019 between the Reds and Indians and sat on the open market for all of last year. While Puig did appear to have a deal with the Braves in the summer, that collapsed when he tested positive for COVID-19 in mid-July.

  • The Phillies have shown interest in a pair of utility players – Marwin Gonzalez (previously reported) and Brad Miller – as well as outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, according to Heyman. The division-rival Mets are also considering Gonzalez, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com relays. Gonzalez and Miller are fits just about anywhere because of their histories of combining respectable offense with defensive versatility, whereas the Phillies and other NL teams look like an imperfect match for Choo. Not only is he 38 years old, but Choo has struggled as a defender for most of his career.
  • Four to five teams are in the mix for middle infielder/outfielder Dee Strange-Gordon, and he could make a decision on his next club by week’s end, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com tweets. The Red Sox were interested in Strange-Gordon earlier this offseason, but they’re likely out of the running after signing fellow infielder/outfielder Enrique Hernandez, per Cotillo. The Reds are reportedly one of the teams in on the 32-year-old speedster, who’s a free agent at an inopportune time after three consecutive dismal seasons with the Mariners.
  • Veteran reliever Joakim Soria agreed to join the Diamondbacks for a $3.5MM guarantee Wednesday, but he turned down bigger offers from elsewhere to do so, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The 36-year-old right-hander, a two-time All-Star who turned in his latest solid season with the Athletics in 2020, is in line to close for Arizona.

Reds Interested In Willy Adames, Dee Strange-Gordon

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With several of the top shortstops on the free agent and trade markets now off the board, the Reds are still looking for reliable veteran help at the position.  The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans (subscription required) lists some of the names that might still be available for the Reds, including previously-reported trade target Amed Rosario of the Indians and two new names on the radar — the Rays’ Willy Adames and free agent Dee Strange-Gordon.

Cincinnati and Tampa Bay already discussed Adames in trade talks earlier this winter, Rosencrans writes, “but the Reds wanted to explore the free-agent market first.”  Since the likes of Didi Gregorius, Marcus Semien, and Andrelton Simmons have all signed elsewhere, it could be possible that the Reds will again circle back to inquire about Adames’ services.

Adames would represent a long-term answer for the Reds’ shortstop position, since he is only 25 years old and under team control through the 2024 season.  Originally acquired by the Rays from the Tigers as part of the David Price trade in 2014, Adames has emerged as Tampa’s everyday choice at shortstop, showing gradual improvement at both the plate and in the field.

Over 2393 1/3 innings as a Major League shortstop, Adames has +9 Defensive Runs Saved, though other metrics like Outs Above Average and UZR/150 rank his glovework as subpar.  He has also produced at least league-average run production or better over 1112 plate appearances, hitting .262/.329/.426 for his career with 38 home runs (105 OPS+, 106 wRC+).

There are some red flags about Adames’ hitting, however.  Amidst an impressive .259/.332/.481 slash line over 205 PA last season, Adames’ .341 wOBA far outpaced his .295 xwOBA, and his 36.1% strikeout rate was one of the worst in baseball.  While Adames has gradually improved his hard-hit ball percentages over his three MLB seasons, he is still only middle-of-the-pack in the category.

These could be reasons why the Rays are open to moving a player with Adames’ talent and contractual control, not to mention the fact that Wander Franco is waiting in the wings as Tampa’s shortstop of the future.  In the event of an Adames trade, Joey Wendle could take over shortstop until Franco is ready to be promoted, which might not be until at least midway through the 2021 season considering that Franco has yet to even play Double-A ball.

Landing Adames might cost the Reds a significant trade package, however, and a case could be made that Cincinnati might not necessarily want a long-term player at the position, given how many star shortstops will be available in the 2021-22 free agent market.  (While the Reds are clearly working with a limited budget this offseason, their financial picture could be different next winter, post-pandemic.)  If this is the case, the Reds might just look for a one-year answer like Strange-Gordon, who could act as a stopgap so Cincy could either prepare to add a star free agent next winter, or allow more time for Jose Garcia to develop as the in-house candidate as the shortstop of the future.

“The Reds have at least checked in on Strange-Gordon,” according to Rosecrans, following a dismal season that saw the veteran hit only .200/.268/.213 over 82 PA for the Mariners.  It was the worst of a rough three-year stretch in Seattle for Strange-Gordon, and the Mariners unsurprisingly declined their $14MM club option on his services for the 2021 season.

The 32-year-old began his MLB career as a shortstop with the Dodgers but has only played a handful of games at short over the last four seasons, making him something of an imperfect fit as an everyday option.  It could be that the Reds might just use Strange-Gordon as something of a utilityman, giving him some time at shortstop but also rotating Garcia and the newly-acquired Kyle Holder at the position.

Mariners Decline 2021 Club Option On Dee Strange-Gordon

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TODAY: Strange-Gordon appeared on the MLB Players Association’s list of players who became free agents today, indicating that the Mariners have officially bought out his 2021 option.

OCTOBER 27: It’s no surprise, but it appears the Mariners are set to part with infielder/outfielder Dee Strange-Gordon. They’ll move on from his $14MM club option for 2021 in favor of a $1MM buyout, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.

After an effective run with the Marlins, with whom he posted 9.3 fWAR in three seasons, the Mariners acquired Strange-Gordon heading into 2018. The speedy Strange-Gordon didn’t offer the type of production the Mariners were hoping for, though, as he batted a meek .266/.293/.343 with seven home runs, 55 stolen bases and just 0.2 fWAR over 1,091 plate appearances as a member of the team. The 32-year-old did see time at both middle infield spots and in multiple outfield positions along the way, but he didn’t grade out especially well at any of them.

Assuming the Mariners do say goodbye to Strange-Gordon, he’ll become part of a second base class of free agents that’s low on great options after DJ LeMahieu. The Mariners, meanwhile, could stick with a combination of Dylan Moore, J.P. Crawford and Shed Long in their middle infield in 2021.

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