The Royals aren’t yet ready to wrap up their offseason after agreeing to sign Brandon Moss, per FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, who reports they’re still looking for help in their rotation and bullpen (Twitter link). It’s worth noting that the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo linked the top free agent starter remaining, Jason Hammel, to Kansas City on Saturday. Here are more quick notes from around the big leagues.
- Speaking of Moss, his presence on the Royals could complicate Cheslor Cuthbert’s role for 2017, writes Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. Cuthbert was a candidate to spend time at designated hitter before Sunday, but that could be difficult with Moss in the fold. Cuthbert broke in last year at third base, though that opportunity only came as a result of Mike Moustakas’ injury-shortened campaign. Moustakas is set to return from a torn ACL, so Cuthbert probably won’t play much at third, and Dodd contends that a lack of range could prevent him from manning second base. Moreover, Cuthbert is out of minor league options, meaning the Royals are either going to have to keep him on their 25-man roster or subject the 24-year-old to waivers if they try to send him down.
- On Thursday, Astros lefty Dallas Keuchel will throw off a mound for the first time since August, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle writes. Keuchel missed more than a month at the end of last season due to shoulder trouble. Keuchel feels like he’s in good shape heading into the season. Last year, his innings pitched dipped from 232 in his Cy Young 2015 season to 168, but this year he’s had extra time off due to the injury, and he feels healthy as Spring Training approaches. He avoided arbitration with the Astros two weeks ago and will make $9.15MM in the penultimate season before he’s eligible for free agency.
- Shoulder problems limited right-hander Henderson Alvarez to 22 1/3 innings in 2015 and kept him from taking a major league mound at all last season, but he’s nonetheless drawing plenty of interest in free agency. “Many” clubs have requested Alvarez’s medicals, tweets FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman, who adds that the soon-to-be 27-year-old should be ready for game action by May. Unfortunately, the ground-ball and control artist’s career has gone off the rails since he tossed 187 innings of 2.65 ERA ball with the Marlins in 2014. The Fish non-tendered Alvarez after the 2015 campaign, and the Athletics outrighted him this past October. The A’s guaranteed Alvarez to $4.25MM last winter, but he only gave the organization 33 innings – all in the minors – before undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery in September.
I’ve said it since the Marlins didn’t resign him that the O’s need to go after Alvarez. Now is the chance to get him cheap and if he’s healthy, he can give the team good quality innings and if not then they probably only waste about 1-2 million.
Alvarez, if he’s going to be healthy, would be a good signing for a team looking for rotation depth. There are teams like the Blue Jays who have a set starting five, but not much behind those five. The Cubs are reportedly looking for rotation depth & their other teams who could use it as well
Jays had him once…
Quite often fans of other teams say the Pirates should pickup any pitcher on the market that had either prior success in the big leagues or top notch prospect pedigree but is currently coming off a bad season or two. As a lifelong Pirates fan, Henderson Alvarez is exactly the pitcher the Pirates should target to acquire relatively cheaply and get a huge return on their investment.
Alvarez has proven to throw hard, fill the strike zone and induce grounders, basically the three commandments of the current Pirates front office when looking for a pitcher. Assuming nothing medically scares them away, offering Alvarez slightly less than a Dunn/Rzepczynski type deal (3yrs 15-17mil) would be a solid plan b to the seemingly unlikely Quintana trade considering having Alvarez under contract for multiple years they can give Alvarez enough time to ensure he’s healthy and effective before he pitches in the majors this year, then he and Nova can serve as a steady middle of the rotation bridge as it transitions from Cole and Burnett/Liriano leading the staff to Taillon and Glasnow presumably leading the staff with Mitch Keller breaking in as Nova and Alvarez would be leaving.
the pirates do not have the luxury to sign a guy for 3 yrs 4-5 mil per. first of all they can’t waste the money and second they can’t waste the 40-man spot bc who wants an expensive guy who can’t stay healthy on and off the dl. this is a guy who is a minor league signing who may never pitch again. he has barely throw the last two years let along pitched in the majors.
$4-5mil is not really alot of money, even for the Pirates. The Bucs can afford to pay Alvarez what they’ve been paying Locke the last few years, and get better value. Especially if they can find a taker for Bastardo and at least half of his $6mil
What do you guys think? Does Cuthbert clear waivers if he gets DFA’d?
I’d say no
Will they ever really use him in the big leagues? I mean moustakas is coming back from injury, Moss may be our DH, and he’s not a favorite for second base.
Penultimate is such a nice word. I don’t know if it gained popularity in the last few years, or if I only then took notice, but it’s gotta be one of my top 10 favorite words.
Cuthbert to NYM for one of their SPs that doesn’t fit in the rotation? He’d be an ideal fit as Wright’s backup — and Duda, too.
Cuthbert isn’t good enough to rate any of the Mets’ top 7 or 8 rotation options. If the Royals will accept #9+ then…maybe.
Yep, pretty much on the money there. He won’t bring in much by himself. They’d have to package with someone else or take a flier.