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Archives for July 2016

Trade Market Notes: Teheran, Bruce, Reddick, Giants, Rangers, White Sox

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Braves righty Julio Teheran exited tonight’s start with what is being described as right lat tightness, as MLB.com’s Mark Bowman writes. Teheran had been throwing well, once again, before the issue arose. We’ve already seen plenty of cold water thrown on the idea that he’ll be traded, and this injury — even if it’s minor — could help seal the deal (or, rather, the lack thereof).

Here are some more notes as the trade market continues to take shape:

  • It has largely been taken for granted that the Reds will trade Jay Bruce this summer. But ESPN.com’s Buster Olney tweets that some rival executives are finding it difficult to gain any traction in talks with the Cincinnati front office. Others, though, still see a deal as likely.
  • Some of the same teams pursuing Bruce are in on Athletics outfielder Josh Reddick, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi notes on Twitter. That’s not surprising — both are left-handed-hitting corner outfielders, albeit rather different ones — and it’s certainly possible to imagine the interplay between their respective markets having an impact on how trade talks progress. The Cubs, Dodgers, and Indians all have some level of interest in both players, per the report.
  • As for the Athletics and Reddick, there are other teams in the mix, too. Per John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group, the Royals and Giants are also taking a look. Of course, we also heard today (subsequent to Hickey’s report) that Kansas City may instead head in a different direction.
  • We’ve heard plenty of chatter on Melvin Upton tonight, after Olney suggested earlier today that he could be a fit for the Giants. Whether or not Upton is the target — or, as just noted, Reddick — it seems that San Francisco is once again leaning toward adding another outfielder. Hunter Pence’s return hasn’t been quite as smooth as might’ve been hoped, and the remaining primary mix — Angel Pagan, Denard Span, and Gregor Blanco — hasn’t been terribly productive, though Pagan has had a solid bounceback campaign. On the other hand, both Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson have hit at better than league-average rates when they’ve been up, so the club isn’t exactly hurting for options.
  • Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News provides a useful round-up of the Rangers’ efforts to bolster a scuffling rotation. In addition to opening talks with the Rays and White Sox, as has been covered extensively, the team is looking at a variety of other possibilities. Andrew Cashner of the Padres is one player that the Rangers have discussed, as are Mariners lefties James Paxton and Wade Miley. It seems that all variety of options continue to be on the table, as all of the pitchers covered in the report constitute quite different assets. GM Jon Daniels suggests that, while he’d prefer to move quickly toward a deal, the odds are that it’ll come down to the deadline.
  • As the White Sox weigh what (if any) players to sell, the club won’t have two short-term assets on the shelf. As Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune reports, both center fielder Austin Jackson and catcher Alex Avila — each of whom was signed to a one-year deal over the winter — are still a ways away from returning from their respective injuries.

Orioles, Padres Discussing Swap Involving Melvin Upton, Ubaldo Jimenez

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The Orioles have spoken with the Padres about outfielder Melvin Upton, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). The deal under discussion would send righty Ubaldo Jimenez to San Diego, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (Twitter links).

An agreement isn’t close at present, per Rosenthal, who says that the Friars are also seeking a prospect to make something happen. Presumably, the struggling Jimenez would help offset Upton’s salary, perhaps paving the way to the acquisition of a useful minor league asset. Baltimore owes Jimenez $13MM this year and $13.5MM for 2017, while Upton is on the books for $15.45MM currently and $16.45MM next season.

While Upton has turned around his career over the last two years with San Diego, his big salary obviously serves to weigh down his trade value. Even if he’s been worth nearly what he’s owed of late, it’s a large chunk of change for any team to take on. Jimenez, meanwhile, has followed up on a useful 2015 with a dreadful start to his 2016 season. He owns a 7.38 ERA over 81 2/3 innings, with 111 hits and 50 walks leaving him with a 1.971 WHIP.

We’ve covered several stories tonight that seem to be merging with these reports. The O’s just lost Joey Rickard to the DL, where he joins Hyun Soo Kim. And the Padres were said to be advising rival organizations that a deal involving Upton was nearing completion.

Baltimore has made clear that starting pitching is its priority, but the recent injuries seem to have opened another need. It is worth mentioning that the Pads could help in the pitching department, too, as the sides are said to have discussed righty Andrew Cashner.

Should a trade come to pass between the clubs, Upton could take the lion’s share of the time in left until Kim returns, at which point they’d likely split the action. Upton could also potentially spell Adam Jones in center and deepen the team’s late-inning defensive options with the lumbering Mark Trumbo currently manning right.

[Related: Orioles and Padres Depth Charts]

For San Diego, moving Upton represents more than just a chance to acquire yet more young assets. The team is also in need of carving out some MLB time for a pair of prospects — Hunter Renfroe and Manuel Margot — who are pushing for an opportunity. (Jason Martinez of MLBTR and Roster Resource recently broke down the case for Renfroe.)

Joey Rickard Out 4 To 6 Weeks With Thumb Injury

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Orioles outfielder Joey Rickard is expected to miss four to six weeks after suffering a thumb injury, Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com was among those to report (Twitter links). Though Rickard won’t require surgery, the ligament damage will keep him out through at least late August.

Earlier today, O’s executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette noted that while starting pitching remains the team’s priority, a DL stint for Rickard could lead the team to explore trade options for another outfielder. That, obviously, is now the case. Hyun Soo Kim is also currently shelved, leaving the team with Julio Borbon, Dariel Alvarez, and Nolan Reimold on hand to take the field alongside regulars Adam Jones and Mark Trumbo.

Rickard, 25, earned a roster spot out of camp and impressed in the early going. He has fallen off since, but it must be remembered that he’s a Rule 5 pick who has been given an unusually robust role on a contending team. Over 282 plate appearances, Rickard is carrying a .268/.319/.377 batting line, which rates to a middling 83 OPS+. Defensive metrics are not fond of his glovework, leading both Fangraphs and Baseball-Reference to value him at a half-win below replacement on the year.

With the rotation need taking precedence, and the O’s sporting big bats all over the lineup, it doesn’t seem that a major addition is in the offing. That being said, Baltimore has reportedly dabbled in the market for Jay Bruce — a player they’ve been connected to in the past — and could conceivably look for another impactful hitter over the next ten days, particularly if a starting pitching upgrade proves too costly.

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/22/16

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Here are the day’s notable minor moves:

  • The Braves have agreed to a minor league deal with backstop Michael McKenry, per Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (via Twitter). As Cotillo notes, that signing, along with the team’s addition of fellow veteran George Kottaras, could help bolster the team’s catching ranks if A.J. Pierzynski is traded away. McKenry was recently cut loose by the Cardinals after a brief appearance on the MLB roster. He owns a useful .238/.318/.406 slash in his 953 big league plate appearances, but evaluators don’t love his work behind the dish.
  • Another catcher, Erik Kratz, has elected free agency after being outrighted by the Pirates, as Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets. Kratz has not produced with the bat at all this year, but does typically bring some pop to the table. The 36-year-old is a lifetime .200/.248/.362 hitter, with 24 home runs in 647 plate appearances. With plenty of organizations looking for depth, he’ll likely latch on with another organization in short order.

Padres Say Nearing Melvin Upton Trade

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The Padres are telling other organizations that they are nearing a deal involving outfielder Melvin Upton, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). The report does note that it “may ultimately be posturing” on San Diego’s part, so perhaps it’s worth taking with a grain of salt, but regardless it seems that the club could be pushing for action on the veteran outfielder.

Upton, 31, has recently ranked in MLBTR’s listing of the top trade candidates despite his still-sizable contract. The reason is two-fold: first, he’s in the midst of a career revival since coming to San Diego, hitting a useful .259/.316/.441 since the start of 2015 while contributing on the bases in the field. And second, the Friars are perhaps the most motivated seller in all of baseball, having already traded away players with future control in James Shields and Drew Pomeranz (not to mention the winter deal involving Craig Kimbrel).

It’s tough to know exactly what buyer would be lined up for Upton, as he could theoretically fit in a number of roles. He’s certainly capable of playing center, though is probably best utilized in the corner outfield at this stage of his career, as defensive metrics generally view him as a slightly below-average option up the middle. And though he has been worthy of regular playing time, most teams will probably prefer to use him in a fourth-outfielder or platoon capacity. Upton continues to carry platoon splits (though not especially troubling ones), has benefited from a slightly elevated BABIP over the last two years, and continues to strike out in nearly three of ten plate appearances.

That leaves a reasonably wide variety of potential trade partners on the table. Clubs like the Giants, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Nationals, Indians, and Cardinals have all been rumored to have interest in some sort of outfield addition. Most of these organizations, if any actually have interest, would seem to be set up either to pair Upton with existing, left-handed-hitting options or deploy him as a frequently-used reserve.

The major question, perhaps, is how the money will get sorted. Upton’s big free agent contract — signed with the Braves and since traded to the Pads in the first deal involving Kimbrel — is winding down, but remains an obstacle. He is earning $15.45MM this year and $16.45MM in 2017, which still seems to go beyond his on-field value, though certainly the contract isn’t under water to anywhere near the extent it once was. San Diego may also be willing to keep some cash on its books in order to improve the return, depending upon the position of its trade partners.

Royals Could Consider Selling

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The Royals are at least preparing for the possibility that they’ll need to take a selling posture at the trade deadline, according to a report from Jon Heyman of Fan Rag and as suggested yesterday by Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star. Though GM Dayton Moore recently indicated that the defending World Series champs were firmly in the buyer’s camp, a source tells Heyman that the organization is readying to head in the other direction if that becomes necessary.

With a .500 record entering play today, it’s certainly possible that a run in either direction could drastically change the club’s outlook in a short period of time. Though it’s jarring to hear of a defending champ with many core, mid-prime players considering a sell-off, it also seems that this probably isn’t K.C.’s year — particularly with the loss of Mike Moustakas and the struggles of players such as Alcides Escobar and Yordano Ventura.

According to Heyman, the club could potentially consider dealing away some rather significant assets. He lists late-inning relievers Wade Davis and Kelvin Herrera, starter Edinson Volquez, and even center fielder Lorenzo Cain. It’s worth noting that Cain is on the DL, though he is likely nearing a return.

It’s important to bear in mind that none of the players listed is set to hit the open market after the year — all are controlled via arbitration or option. Realistically, if the club considered dealing players like those listed above, there’s no reason they wouldn’t at least listen on additional names as well. Other shorter-term assets who aren’t pure rentals include first baseman Eric Hosmer, lefty Danny Duffy, righty Luke Hochevar, outfielder Jarrod Dyson, and the aforementioned Escobar.

What’s notable about the K.C. situation is that so many players are controlled for a short time, yet virtually none are set for the open market after the season. The club’s pending free agents — at least, those that aren’t subject to team control rights — include names like Dillon Gee, Chien-Ming Wang, and Drew Butera. Obviously, none of those players is likely to generate a major trade return. While he does come with a mutual option, DH Kendrys Morales may be the closest thing to a traditional rental asset that the Royals have, and his improved play of late could make him a useful piece.

It’s certainly possible to imagine the Royals looking into moving only a few assets, in hopes that they’d return players who could help next season while also bridging to a time when the current core is no longer together. There doesn’t appear to be much of a realistic hope of keeping players like Cain and Hosmer around beyond 2017, so perhaps now is the time to realize returns on at least a few major assets.

That being said, even at .500, the Royals have ample incentive to keep their roster together. It’s still possible to imagine some magic this year — I’ve resolved never to count this team out — and the fanbase will surely stay motivated so long as there is any glimmer of hope. And if the organization still believes in its talent, it can expect to see it all back together — hopefully, with better health — in 2017.

It also bears noting that this news on Kansas City seems to cap a mini-run on teams transitioning to possible sellers. Recent converts include, at least in theory, the Yankees and White Sox, with the Mariners and Tigers also candidates to do the same. That seems in part to be a response to a general perception that the market is friendly to sellers, which in turn may simply be motivating more teams in limbo to gauge what they can get for their more appealing short-term assets.

Nationals Pursuing Aroldis Chapman, But Won’t Give Top Prospects

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The Nationals do indeed “want in” on the budding Aroldis Chapman sweepstakes according to Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post (via Twitter). We’ve heard of this connection previously — assuming, of course, that the Yankees finally commit to a sale.

But while Washington’s interest is real, it doesn’t seem that the club is prepared to give up its best young talent to get a deal done. According to Svrluga, the Nats are unwilling to deal away top prospects Lucas Giolito, Trea Turner, Victor Robles, or Reynaldo Lopez for the opportunity to rent Chapman.

Those are exactly the types of players that the Yankees are surely hoping to get back in a deal for a pitcher who could change the entire post-season picture. Giolito and Turner are considered among the best prospects in the game, and both have appeared in the majors already. Robles, too has attained that status with his sky-high ceiling, though he’s still a few years away.

If anything, it seems like Lopez could be a player the Nats might be willing to give up, as he’s not quite as highly valued by prospect hounds amid questions whether he can stick in the rotation. Several observers have noted him as a possible piece that could change hands in a deal for Chapman, Andrew Miller, or another major trade acquisition. But he too was recently deemed ready for his first MLB action and remains a near-term option in D.C., so it seems there’s not a lot of inclination to give him up either.

Washington expects there to be plenty of competition for Chapman, per the report. And that’s no surprise, as he’s a truly elite player who is a pure rental asset. We’ve mentioned before that it could be a game of chicken on the high-powered southpaw, with the Yankees and every team with interest looking to see who’ll blink first, and it looks as if the Nats are sending a message that it won’t be them.

That’s not to say that the D.C. farm is otherwise devoid of talent. Righty Erick Fedde is perhaps the next-best pre-MLB player in the Nats system, and there are some other intriguing chips. It’s also possible to imagine the Nationals parting with Michael Taylor and one of several controllable relievers if the right scenario emerges, so there’s some possibility for creative packages that don’t include the blue chip prospects. We’ll find out whether that’s enough to entice the Yanks.

Rangers Designate Cesar Ramos

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The Rangers have designated lefty Cesar Ramos, per a club announcement. He’ll make way for the return of fellow southpaw Jake Diekman.

[Related: Updated Rangers Depth Chart]

Ramos, 32, contributed 47 2/3 innings this year, but wasn’t as effective as he has been in recent campaigns. Fresh off of a 2.75 ERA run with the Angels in 2015, Ramos has worked to just a 6.04 ERA for Texas. His 5.1 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 2016 also fall well shy of his numbers from a year ago, and Ramos has seen his swinging strike rate dip as he has continued to lose velocity.

Phillies Designate Daniel Stumpf

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The Phillies have designated lefty Daniel Stumpf for assignment, per a team announcement. He’ll be replaced on the active roster by righty Severino Gonzalez.

[Related: Updated Phillies Depth Chart]

Stumpf was a Rule 5 selection over the winter, meaning that he had to be kept on the active roster (or the 15-day DL) for the duration of the year for the Phillies to retain his rights. He was only recently activated after serving an 80-game PED suspension, and evidently didn’t show enough to warrant a roster spot.

It’s a short sample, but the numbers certainly weren’t there for Stumpf. He allowed six earned runs on nine hits and two walks, while recording just a pair of strikeouts, in five frames over seven total appearances on the year.

Diamondbacks Considering Managerial Change

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The Diamondbacks are considering replacing skipper Chip Hale, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Tim Montemayor of Arizona’s AM 1060 first tweeted that there were rumors circulating.

If Arizona goes ahead and moves Hale aside, Triple-A manager Phil Nevin would likely take his place at the helm of the big league club, per the report. General manager Dave Stewart declined to comment on the matter when asked about the rumors by Rosenthal.

Hale, 51, has managed the D-Backs since the start of last year, when he was selected by Stewart and chief baseball officer (and Hall-of-Fame manager) Tony LaRussa to run the club on the field. Things seemed on the upswing after year one, as Arizona showed improvement and logged a 79-83 record. Indeed, the organization picked up Hale’s 2017 option at the start of camp this spring.

The promising showing in 2015 emboldened the organization to make several major additions over the winter. That included, most prominently, the stunning signing of Zack Greinke and the acquisition of Shelby Miller for a trio of critical assets.

With over half of the games in the books this year, it is evident that things haven’t gone as hoped. Arizona sits in the NL West basement at the moment with a 40-55 record on the year. It would be hard to pin all of that on Hale, of course. Star center fielder A.J. Pollock was lost during camp, Miller has been dreadful (as have other recent acquisitions like Yasmany Tomas), and the club has somewhat predictably failed in its outfield defense — among other areas of concern.

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