Archives for July 2017

Cubs Designate Dylan Floro For Assignment

By Steve Adams | July 31, 2017 at 9:05am CDT

The Cubs announced that they’ve designated right-hander Dylan Floro for assignment in order to open the necessary roster space to accommodate the acquisitions of left-hander Justin Wilson and catcher Alex Avila from the Tigers.

The 26-year-old Floro has spent most of the 2017 season in the minors but has appeared in three big league games with the Cubs this season. In that time, he’s surrendered seven runs on 15 hits and a pair of walks with six strikeouts through 9 2/3 innings. His minor league work has produced a more palatable 3.88 ERA in 48 2/3 frames, though Floro has also punched out just 26 hitters (4.8 BB/9) in that time.

Cubs Acquire Justin Wilson, Alex Avila

By Jeff Todd | July 31, 2017 at 9:02am CDT

TODAY: The deal is official, with both clubs announcing it. For Detroit, catcher John Hicks and righty Joe Jimenez will come up to fill the roster openings.

YESTERDAY, 11:45pm: The sides have completed the medical review, though an announcement is still forthcoming, per Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter links).

10:55pm: The Cubs are finalizing a deal to acquire two more pieces for the stretch run. If the swap is finalized, both southpaw reliever Justin Wilson and catcher Alex Avila will reportedly head from the Tigers to Chicago in exchange for infielder Jeimer Candelario and young shortstop Isaac Paredes, along with cash or a player to be named later.

[RELATED: Updated Cubs & Tigers Depth Charts]

Of course, the Chicago (N.L.) farm has been raided of late, with numerous talented players streaming onto the MLB roster as well as to other organizations. The Cubbies are pushing the pedal to the floor once again, hoping to capitalize on a wave of momentum coming out of the All-Star break that has swept the defending World Series champs back into the NL Central lead.

Though Wilson has perhaps elevated his profile this year, owing to a move into the ninth inning for the Tigers, he hasn’t really changed his baseline performance level. He still works off of a mid-to-upper-nineties heater and is generally slightly more successful against right-handed hitters than lefties. And ERA estimators still value him as a low-to-mid-3’s performer.

That said, there are some notable changes. Through 40 1/3 innings this year, Wilson carries a career-high 14.3% swinging-strike rate and has averaged 12.3 K/9 — well over any prior full-season mark. He’s also allowing more walks (3.6 BB/9) and home runs (1.12 per nine) than usual, with less grounders (38.4%) than ever before. A general shift northward with his pitch location seems to explain the differences, though it’s hard to say it has made him a materially better pitcher.

Regardless of whether one prefers the Wilson of old or the current iteration, he looks to be a high-quality reliever at a bargain rate. He’ll step into a setup role alongside righties Carl Edwards, Koji Uehara, Pedro Strop, and Hector Rondon. Chicago currently features two other southpaws, Brian Duensing and Mike Montgomery, with the former likely continuing to function as a lefty specialist and the latter as a long reliever. That said, Wilson makes for a ninth reliever when right-handed Justin Grimm is counted, so it seems someone will need to depart the active roster. Edwards and Grimm are both optionable, but the latter is likeliest to go given his struggles this year; his 40-man spot could also be in jeopardy.

Wilson will take home just $2.7MM this year and comes with another season of arb control. Though he’ll surely command a healthy raise, particularly given that he has picked up a few saves in Detroit, Wilson will promise to deliver surplus value over his salary in 2018 as well.

Not to be lost in the shuffle is Avila, who is putting on his best season since 2011 at thirty years of age. He’ll represent a quality option to share time with young stalwart Willson Contreras for the remainder of the year while Victor Caratini goes back down to finish his development at Triple-A. Over 263 plate appearances thus far in 2017, Avila owns a .271/.392/.472 batting line. While he has benefited from a .375 BABIP, Avila has traditionally carried lofty batting averages on balls in play. And he has finally returned to the power he showed as a younger player (11 home runs, .202 isolated slugging) while continuing to carry an outstanding walk rate.

Avila delivered plenty of value to the Tigers for the one-year, $2MM contract he signed over the winter after dealing with health problems in recent campaigns. That deal, of course, was agreed to with his father — Tigers GM Al Avila, who also engineered this swap. Whether the elder Avila can pull off any further trades before tomorrow’s deadline remains unclear, but this is another meaningful deal for an organization that hopes to get younger and trim some salary before the start of the 2018 season.

The aim in Detroit, of course, is to field a contender in the relatively near term without requiring the kind of budget-busting expenditures that had become commonplace in recent seasons. Finding affordable, controllable asset is the key to such an undertaking, and Avila will hope he can accmplish that here.

Candelario currently sits just inside the top 100 prospects leaguewide, according to MLB.com, which calls him a serviceable defender at third who can be a quality offensive threat. He’s also ready to contribute in the majors right now, having briefly cracked the bigs in each of the past two seasons. The 23-year-old owns a .266/.361/.507 slash through 330 Triple-A plate appearances this year.

While Candelario may be seen by some as the headliner, Baseball America recently tabbed the 18-year-old Paredes as the better prospect among the two, reflecting that outlet’s lower grade on the former and higher grade on the latter. A well-regarded defensive shortstop from Mexico, Paredes has slashed .261/.341/.399 with seven home runs this year through 380 plate appearances at the Class A level.

This transaction puts down a notable market marker with several other top lefties still available via trade. Zach Britton of the Orioles is more expensive and comes with equivalent control rights to Wilson, though perhaps Baltimore will hold out for a greater return given Britton’s sheer excellence over the prior two seasons. And the Padres are said to be placing a big asking price on Brad Hand, who comes with an additional season of control and has emerged as a top-quality reliever.

Jon Heyman of Fan Rag first said a deal was close (via Twitter), after Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeted the Cubs were “closing in” on Wilson and that Candelario may be involved, with USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (Twitter link) confirming Candelario’s inclusion. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand noted Avila’s involvement on Twitter, with Ken Rosenthal saying he would indeed go to Chicago (via Twitter). Bruce Levine of 670theScore.com reported the inclusion of Paredes on Twitter. Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press tweeted the cash/PTBNL detail to complete the prospective swap, with Heyman tweeting its finalization.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Rumors: The Best App For The MLB Trade Deadline

By Tim Dierkes | July 31, 2017 at 6:20am CDT

There is only one app actual MLB players will use to find out if they’re being traded today: Trade Rumors, available for free for iOS and Android. With Trade Rumors, you get all of our awesome MLBTR content (plus other sports if you’d like), as well as custom team and player notifications. Trade Rumors routinely gets five-star reviews. With the MLB trade deadline just hours away, what are you waiting for? Download Trade Rumors today!

Yu Darvish Trade Rumors: Sunday

By Steve Adams | July 31, 2017 at 1:27am CDT

With the non-waiver trade deadline closing in, here’s the latest chatter on Rangers ace Yu Darvish…

Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network has the latest on Darvish. It’s said to be unclear whether the veteran would waive his no-trade protection, though of the teams with known interest only the Indians would need authorization to acquire him. There remains a mystery team in on Darvish, and the Rangers still think they’ll make a deal despite the lack of evident progress thus far.

Yesterday’s Updates

Cleveland has indeed spoken to Texas about Darvish, as Grant suggested, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweets.
ESPN’s Buster Olney tweets that the Yankees “aren’t really that involved” in talks for Darvish.
Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the Rangers are “more sold than ever” that they will trade Darvish. The Dodgers and Yankees are the two likeliest landing spots, though a trade isn’t likely to be announced on Sunday. Rangers GM Jon Daniels and other execs met with Darvish last weekend to explain to him the possibility that he’d be traded, Wilson continues. Texas hopes to trade Darvish to a contending club and re-sign him, and while Wilson reports that the right-hander has told the team he hopes to continue his career with them, he also is curious to see what the open market will bear.
MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan also tweets that the Dodgers and Yankees are both in on Darvish, but he hears there’s a third team in the mix that no one anticipated. (Hooray for the mystery team!) The Cubs aren’t heavily involved in Darvish talks, according to Wilson (Twitter link). Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News speculates that the Indians could be interested (Twitter links). Grant also notes that the Astros have expressed interest, though the Rangers feel that would be the toughest deal to complete.

Rockies Acquire Jonathan Lucroy

By Jeff Todd | July 30, 2017 at 9:27pm CDT

The Rockies have officially struck a deal to acquire Rangers catcher Jonathan Lucroy, as Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network first reported (via Twitter). A player to be named later is going to Texas in return, per ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). (Note: the PTBNL cannot be a 2017 draft pick.)

[RELATED: Updated Rockies Depth Chart]

Lucroy, 31, was connected to the Rockies earlier today. The veteran receiver will help bolster a catching situation that has been less-than-ideal all year long. While Tom Murphy was expected to play a major role, he missed an extended stretch due to injury and was optioned after struggling upon his return. Tony Wolters has been over-extended as a regular, and neither Ryan Hanigan nor Dustin Garneau has shown much during their time in the majors this year.

Colorado will hope that Lucroy provides a steadying presence, both in the field and at the plate. He’s earning just $5.25MM on the year — just over $1.8MM of which remains — before reaching the open market at season’s end, so his acquisition won’t make a major dent in the club’s payroll.

But for this move to succeed, Lucroy will need to engineer a turnaround. Through his 306 plate appearances this year, the veteran is hitting just .242/.297/.338 with four home runs. And the questions aren’t limited to the offensive side of the equation. Once the poster boy for pitch framing, Lucroy has rated as perhaps the worst framer in baseball in 2017.

That output falls far shy of his typical work. From the start of his breakout 2012 season through the end of the 2016 campaign, Lucroy ran up a .291/.353/.465 slash line — numbers more commonly seen from quality corner outfielders than backstops. He also developed a reputation as a top-tier defensive catcher, driven especially by his outstanding abilities in the then-underappreciated art of pitch framing.

Whether the veteran can bounce back will surely be interesting to see. He has struck out in just 10.5% of his plate appearances this year, though he’s also walking at a lesser rate (6.2%) than usual. He has surely been a bit unfortunate with a .259 BABIP, though that hardly explains the massive power drop-off (from a career .153 isolated slugging to a current .096 mark). And it is concerning that Lucroy is making far less hard contact (22.3%) and putting the ball on the ground far more (56.2%) than he has typically. With respect to the framing downturn, it’s anyone’s guess whether he can return to his prior levels, though perhaps there’s reason to think that Lucroy will excel regardless in the-less quantifiable aspects of his craft behind the dish.

For the Rangers, meanwhile, the move perhaps begins what could be quite a busy stretch. The club has been rumored to be preparing to move star righty Yu Darvish, and will surely be listening to offers on a variety of other players. Relievers Keone Kela and Jeremy Jeffress are said to be available, while pending free agent hitters Carlos Gomez and Mike Napoli likely are as well.

It’s disappointing, surely, for the Rangers to be overseeing a sell-off in the midst of a season that started with lofty expectations. But the club is also undoubtedly right not to double down on a roster that had too many questions. That said, with numerous core pieces under contract for the foreseeable future, the expectation remains that the Rangers will be focused on moving pending free agents while reloading for another run in 2018.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Top 25 Deadline Day Trade Candidates

By Jeff Todd and Steve Adams | July 30, 2017 at 9:27pm CDT

We are now within 24 hours of the trade deadline. Many players have already been moved and most teams have figured out their deadline stances — though, as ever, late-breaking developments can still force a change of plans.

As we enter the home stretch, we thought it’d be interesting to take one final snapshot of the major trade candidates left on the market. As always, the list is compiled with a view to assessing both trade likelihood and trade value (in all its facets). (Note: “LR” = “last ranked.”)

*Note: this post was published at 6:47pm CST on July 30th.

1. Sonny Gray (Athletics) & Yu Darvish (Rangers), SP (LR: 1, 55): These are the top two starters on the market. The controllable Gray looks especially likely to find a new home prior to Monday’s non-waiver deadline, while the Rangers are reportedly telling teams they’re now planning to move Darvish as well. Darvish was shelled in his last outing, but one start is hardly going to torpedo his value. His fastball velocity is strong as ever, and he’s still averaging nearly 10 K’s per nine innings.

3. Addison Reed, RH Reliever, Mets (LR: 2): There’s no better rental asset on the relief market than Reed, who has been a bullpen juggernaut since joining the Mets in 2015 (2.11 ERA, 10.0 K/9, 1.5 BB/9 in 141 innings). He’s still owed about $2.75MM this season.

4. Justin Wilson, LH Reliever, Tigers (LR: 3): With the Nationals, Cubs, Indians, Astros, Dodgers, Yankees, Brewers, Rockies and Red Sox all prominently linked to Wilson in the past few days alone, it seems impossible to imagine that the Tigers won’t be able to secure a big return for soon-to-be 30-year-old Wilson, whose career year is coming at the perfect time for the Tigers. Detroit’s reportedly looking for an Aroldis Chapman-esque return, though Wilson doesn’t have that track record or historically great velocity.

5. Brandon Kintzler, RH Reliever, Twins (LR: NR): Minnesota’s trade-deadline about-face leaves the team shopping a few assets. None is more clearly a trade chip than Kintzler, a pending free agent who has performed admirably in a late-inning role over the past two years. The sinkerballer is not getting quite as many grounders this year (53.9%) as last (61.9%), and doesn’t get very many swings and misses, but has posted a 2.78 ERA and logged 28 saves this year.

6. Joe Smith, RH Reliever, Blue Jays (LR: NR): Smith made it back from the DL just in time to display that he’s healthy for interested teams. With an affordable $3MM salary and a career-best average of 13 strikeouts per nine innings, he should go to a contender in need of setup help.

7. Alex Avila (Tigers) & Jonathan Lucroy (Rangers), C (LR: 12, 42): There are more catchers available than there are teams looking for help. Avila has been the most productive backstop in the AL this year on a rate basis — we all saw that coming, right? — while Lucroy’s production has tanked. But both figure to be available, and Lucroy was an elite option as recently as last season, so some teams could hope a change of scenery and a new environment proves to be revitalizing. Both are free agents at season’s end.

9. Yonder Alonso, 1B, Athletics (LR: 6): Alonso’s bat has gone cold over the past month, and the number of teams looking for help at first base/DH is even more limited now that the Rays have added Lucas Duda. The Yankees reportedly still have some interest, but they also already picked up Todd Frazier, moving Chase Headley across the diamond.

10. Jed Lowrie, INF, Athletics (LR: 8): It’s been quiet on the Lowrie front, which is surprising since he’s a versatile and affordable player that has slashed .265/.339/.436 while calling spacious O.Co Coliseum home (112 wRC+). He’s also got a cheap club option for the 2018 season. It still seems reasonable to expect that he’ll end up on a contender in need of some bench help.

11. Brad Hand, LH Reliever, Padres (LR: 3): There are increasing indications that the Padres will not drop their high asking price, though Hand’s value is very arguably approaching its apex. There could be some posturing on the Padres’ behalf, but they’ll be able to market him to a wider audience this offseason if they do indeed hang onto him.

12. Zach Britton (LH Reliever) & Brad Brach (RH Reliever), Orioles (LR: 18): It’d be a leap of faith for a team to part with elite prospect to take on Britton when he’s missed most of the season with a forearm injury and hasn’t pitched on consecutive days since being activated. A healthy Britton is one of the best relievers on the planet, but teams won’t know if that’s who they’re getting. Brach, meanwhile, is as steady as ever and is one of the top right-handed options on the market. He seems likelier to move than his teammate, though we’ve yet to hear much chatter.

Click to continue reading the list …

14. La nce Lynn (Cardinals) (LR: 51): Talk of the Cards moving Lynn has steadily increased over the past week, and he’ll be one of the more appealing rentals in a market that doesn’t offer many intriguing options. Lynn is earning $7.5MM this season, so his salary isn’t excessive. But, he’s also already allowed five more homers (21) than he ever has in any full season and has skated by with the game’s second-lowest BABIP (.225). He’s also in his first season back from Tommy John, so interested teams have reason to be wary. And then there’s the fact that the Cards remain in contention; even if they do feel comfortable with internal alternatives, sacrificing pitching depth at this point isn’t exactly a move typical of a contender.

15. Jay Bruce & Curtis Granderson, OF, Mets (LR: 13): Both are firmly available in trades, but it’s a buyer’s market for corner outfield help, and there aren’t that many teams on the lookout for this type of player. It’s possible that the Mets only find a taker for one of the two, particularly given their salaries. Still, each of these productive lefty hitters could provide a real boost to a contender, so they warrant serious deadline consideration.

17. Marco Estrada & Francisco Liriano, SP, Blue Jays (LR: 22): The Jays are fading and these two veterans just aren’t performing. But each comes with his share of upside and would be fairly easy to move (so long as Toronto eats a decent bit of salary) as rental assets. Teams destined for the postseason likely won’t view these pitchers as likely playoff rotation pieces, but more marginal contenders could roll the dice on the talented hurlers.

19. Jim Johnson, RH Reliever, Braves (LR: 31): There has been persistent chatter about Johnson as a possible trade piece, though perhaps no clear indication that Atlanta will be intrigued enough at an offer to move on. He’d be a useful and affordable ($4.5MM) piece for the Braves next year, though that also increases his trade value. Johnson only carries a 4.22 ERA on the year, but has racked up 10.8 K/9 on a career-high 10.0% swinging-strike rate while continuing to induce grounders on half or more of the balls put in play against him.

20. Drew Storen, RH Reliever, Reds (LR: 28): Unless virtually no interest develops, there’s not much of a reason for the Reds to hang onto Storen, who is affordable and having a productive rebound year in the Cincinnati bullpen. While his velocity is down, he could provide a useful middle-relief option for a variety of clubs.

21. Asdrubal Cabrera, INF, Mets (LR: 36): Reports of late have suggested the Mets anticipate dealing Cabrera, who has drawn interest from teams looking to add an infield option to the mix. Though he isn’t hitting as much as last year and no longer seems to be an everyday choice at short, Cabrera is a switch-hitter who can play anywhere in the infield.

22. Carlos Gomez, OF, Rangers (LR: 47): If Darvish is to be dealt, it only stands to reason that Gomez would also be available. He’s carrying only a league-average-ish .245/.326/.453 batting line on the year and is earning at fairly hefty clip ($11.5MM for the season), and outfield demand is light, so there’s not a ton of value here. But Gomez can still play center while adding value on the bases, so he’s an interesting potential target.

23. Ervin Santana (Twins) & Justin Verlander (Tigers), SP (LR: NR, 25): It’s still tough to get a read on the starting pitching market, but these two are perhaps the most interesting and most available arms after those already mentioned above. Given that it’s less than apparent that either will be moved, though, they land toward the back of the list. While Santana is a late entrant onto the market, he has been evaluated as a trade candidate for quite some time and is surely a known quantity. The Twins will value his affordable remaining year of control, and everyone is aware that the peripherals don’t support his 3.37 ERA, but Santana is a solid workhorse who now seems to be a fairly plausible chip. And Verlander has come on strong of late, bolstering his appeal but perhaps also Detroit’s resolve not to sell low. It’s seen as unlikely that he will be dealt, but teams have scouted him heavily and the Tigers are clearly ready to make a swap if the offer is right. With Jeff Samardzija indicating he isn’t too interested in waiving his no-trade protection, perhaps the top alternative to this duo is the more-affordable but less-accomplished Jhoulys Chacin.

25. Bud Norris, Yusmeiro Petit & David Hernandez, RH Relievers, Angels (LR: 48): Yep, we’re cheating a bit here with a trio to finish the list. But it’s tough to differentiate between these cheap rental arms, with indications only just emerging that the Halos are willing to listen. Norris has had a few rough outings of late, but he still has racked up nearly a dozen strikeouts per nine innings. Petit is in the midst of the best season of his career and is capable of multi-inning appearances. And Hernandez not only has a 2.29 ERA with the peripherals to match (9.4 /9, 2.0 BB/9, 47.8% groundball rate), but has thus far avoided his usual Achilles heel by keeping the ball in the park all year long.

Disabled List

Nate Jones & Avisail Garcia (White Sox), J.J. Hardy (Orioles), Mark Melancon (Giants), Kyle Barraclough (Marlins), Chris Coghlan (Blue Jays), Hector Santiago (Twins), Zack Cozart & Scott Feldman (Reds), Martin Prado & Edinson Volquez (Marlins), Cameron Maybin (Angels), Johnny Cueto (Giants), Tyson Ross (Rangers), Daniel Nava (Phillies), T.J. Rivera (Mets)

Also Considered

Angels: J.C. Ramirez, Jesse Chavez, Ricky Nolasco, Yunel Escobar

Athletics: Rajai Davis, Matt Joyce, Santiago Casilla, John Axford (DFA limbo), Khris Davis

Blue Jays: J.A. Happ, Steve Pearce, Roberto Osuna, Jose Bautista, Justin Smoak, Aaron Loup, Josh Donaldson

Braves: Arodys Vizcaino, Julio Teheran, R.A. Dickey, Matt Kemp, Nick Markakis, Brandon Phillips, Kurt Suzuki, Matt Adams

Cardinals: Trevor Rosenthal, Seung-hwan Oh, Michael Wacha, Jedd Gyorko

Giants: Jeff Samardzija, Hunter Strickland, George Kontos, Nick Hundley, Hunter Pence, Matt Cain, Denard Span, Joe Panik

Marlins: A.J. Ellis, Brad Ziegler, Dan Straily, Adam Conley, Junichi Tazawa, Tom Koehler, Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich, Giancarlo Stanton

Mets: Neil Walker, Jerry Blevins, Rene Rivera, Fernando Salas, Josh Edgin (DFA limbo), Jose Reyes, Wilmer Flores

Orioles: Seth Smith, Welington Castillo, Manny Machado, Wade Miley, Mychal Givens, Darren O’Day

Padres: Jose Torres, Clayton Richard, Jhoulys Chacin, Craig Stammen, Kirby Yates, Yangervis Solarte

Phillies: Joaquin Benoit, Freddy Galvis, Hector Neris, Vince Velasquez, Cesar Hernandez, Tommy Joseph, Hyun Soo Kim

Pirates: Juan Nicasio, Tony Watson, Josh Harrison, Ivan Nova, Wade LeBlanc, David Freese, Jordy Mercer, Andrew McCutchen, Gerrit Cole

Rangers: Mike Napoli, Adrian Beltre, Jurickson Profar, Jeremy Jeffress, Keone Kela, Andrew Cashner

Reds: Tony Cingrani, Raisel Iglesias, Billy Hamilton, Blake Wood, Scooter Gennett

Tigers: Ian Kinsler, Justin Upton, Miguel Cabrera, Jose Iglesias, Alex Wilson, Victor Martinez, Anibal Sanchez, Shane Greene, Michael Fulmer

Twins: Brian Dozier, Robbie Grossman, Ehire Adrianza, Bartolo Colon, Matt Belisle, Ryan Pressly

White Sox: Jose Abreu, Miguel Gonzalez, James Shields, Mike Pelfrey, Derek Holland

Cubs “Close” To Acquiring Justin Wilson

By Jeff Todd | July 30, 2017 at 9:26pm CDT

9:51pm: The Cubs are “close” to striking a deal with the Tigers that would deliver Wilson to Chicago, according to Heyman (via Twitter).

Candelario would indeed headline the package, per Nightengale (Twitter link), with the Cubs also landing Avila, per Rosenthal (via Twitter). Infield prospect Isaac Paredes would also be in the package, per Bruce Levine of 670theScore.com (Twitter link).

9:25pm: The Cubs, Dodgers, Astros, and Nationals are the four teams still vying to acquire Wilson, according to Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).

Those four teams have been connected to Wilson at various points in the recent past, so it’s not surprising to see that they are now the apparent finalists. It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that the Nats already have quite a few lefties, including the recently acquired Sean Doolittle. And Houston is said to be somewhat more intrigued by Britton, as Sherman affirmed today on Twitter.

The Indians could yet be a “dark horse” on Wilson, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets, though it’s unclear as yet whether the AL Central rivals have engaged in earnest.

7:58pm: There’s active bidding between the Cubs and Dodgers, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter).

Candelario is in play in a deal that could send both Wilson and catcher Alex Avila to Chicago, Feinsand adds on Twitter. Avila has long been seen as a target for the Cubs.

7:47pm: There’s some buzz that the Cubs may be the favorite to land Wilson. MLB.com’s Phil Rogers noted Chicago’s ongoing interest on Twitter, Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network said the Cubs were “working hard” to land Wilson (via Twitter), and now Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that the Cubbies are “closing in” on a deal for Wilson.

Notably, top Chicago prospect Jeimer Candelario is out of the lineup tonight, per Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register (via Twitter), with Sherman suggesting Detroit has keen interest in him.

7:29pm: The Tigers are expected to make a trade involving lefty Justin Wilson this evening, sources tell MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (Twitter link). Just where the southpaw might be headed isn’t yet clear, however.

Wilson, 29, has drawn interest from numerous contending teams. With the Tigers having already traded away star outfielder J.D. Martinez, there’s little question that the club is willing to move its best reliever.

With a favorable contract situation, it’s unsurprising that as many as five teams are still pursuing Wilson at this point, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). The offers have increased steadily, so much as that it’s now certain that Wilson will be moved before the non-waiver trade deadline tomorrow.

It’s important to note, too, that Wilson is one of three premium lefties on the market, with Brad Hand of the Padres and Zach Britton of the Orioles also seemingly available for the right price. The interplay between those three, who are drawing many of the same suitors, will be an important storyline to watch unfold tonight and early tomorrow.

Chris Owings Diagnosed With Fractured Finger

By Jeff Todd | July 30, 2017 at 7:42pm CDT

7:42pm: Arizona is “unlikely” to shop for another infielder, per Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network (via Twitter). The club thinks its depth is sufficient, particularly with Ahmed expected to return within a month or so.

4:41pm: Diamondbacks infielder Chris Owings has been diagnosed with a fractured middle finger on his right hand, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic tweets. While details on an anticipated course of treatment and timeline aren’t known, he’ll obviously be out for a reasonably extended stretch.

With Owings joining Nick Ahmed on the DL, the D-Backs are left with quite a bit less middle-infield depth than they had to open the year. Ketel Marte and Brandon Drury look to represent the top two options on the active roster, with Daniel Descalso also available in a reserve role.

The loss hits the Snakes at an interesting time, with the trade deadline less than 24 hours away. Whether Arizona will feel any major new impetus to pursuing a trade remains to be seen. Owings is now in a state of uncertainty and Ahmed has yet to begin a rehab assignment. But Marte has played well since returning to the majors and Descalso won’t be needed as much in the outfield as he was at times due to the recent addition of J.D. Martinez.

If the D-Backs do take a look at the market, they could consider a variety of options. MLBTR has recently assessed the potentially available shortstops and second basemen. Among those of note are Zack Cozart of the Reds, though he just landed on the DL. Jose Iglesias of the Tigers would represent a controllable piece and is capable of providing top-notch defense at shortstop, though he has never been much with the bat. If the Diamondbacks don’t feel they need a player capable of lining up at short, they could focus on rentals such as Jed Lowrie of the A’s or Neil Walker of the Mets.

As ought to be apparent from some of the names mentioned, there may not be much rush to finding a replacement. Arizona may prefer to see how its injured players progress while waiting to weigh new acquisitions over the month of August. Cozart figures to be available then, and Walker may be as well given that he only just returned from the DL and is earning a big salary. Veterans such as Brandon Phillips, Asdrubal Cabrera, and even Ian Kinsler are also plausible chips that could last past tomorrow’s non-waiver deadline.

Red Sox, Mets Discussing Addison Reed Trade

By Steve Adams | July 30, 2017 at 5:33pm CDT

5:32pm: Boston has also “kicked the tires” on Twins righty Brandon Kintzler, per Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press (via Twitter). The interest in Kintzler was noted recently, though it’s notable that the sides are evidently still in touch to some degree with the deadline drawing near. Still, it seems he and others are not the top priority for the Sox.

2:47pm: There’s one other team that is also a “serious suitor” for Reed at this time, tweets Newsday’s Marc Carig. Still, though, nothing is close at present, WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford notes on Twitter.

2:01pm: Earlier this morning, MLB Network’s Ken Rosenthal reported that Mets closer Addison Reed was a “focus” for the Red Sox, and there’s increasing talk about Reed potentially heading to Boston in a deal. Sean McAdam of BostonSportsJournal.com reports that talks between the two sides have begun to heat up, though a deal isn’t yet close to finalization. ESPN’s Buster Olney adds that there are “about five” teams left in the running for Reed, though the Red Sox are the only one he specifies by name.

The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, meanwhile, reports that the Sox are focused solely on late-inning relief help at this point. According to Speier, Reed is “at or near the top” of Boston’s wishlist, while deals for left-handers Justin Wilson (Tigers) and Brad Hand (Padres) are unlikely.

The 28-year-old Reed has dominated opposing hitters since donning a Mets jersey in 2015, working to a pristine 2.09 ERA with 9.9 K/9 against 1.5 BB/9 in 142 innings. He’s spent much of the season closing for the Mets with Jeurys Familia unavailable (first due to a suspension, then an injury), but he’d shift into a setup role for Craig Kimbrel were the Sox and Mets to complete a deal. Reed would be complemented by righties Matt Barnes, Heath Hembree and Joe Kelly (who is nearing a return from the disabled list) as well as left-handers Fernando Abad and Robby Scott. A free agent at season’s end, Reed is earning $7.75MM in 2017 and is still owed roughly $2.7MM of that sum through the end of the regular season.

Sonny Gray Trade Rumors: Sunday

By Steve Adams | July 30, 2017 at 5:31pm CDT

Sonny Gray’s scheduled Sunday start has already been pushed back to Monday, and as of yesterday, the Yankees were widely rumored to be the favorite to land the Oakland ace. Generally, though, the state of play does not appear to have changed all that much much as of this afternoon. Still, there will be plenty of rumors on Gray flying around from this point forward, and we’ll track them all in this post…

Indications from this morning are that the Yankees remain focused on pursuing Gray rather than a rental arm, as Jon Heyman of Fan Rag writes. New York has added lefty Jaime Garcia from the Twins, of course, but that acquisition reportedly will not deter their pursuit of Gray — who’d likely bump Garcia to the pen if he’s added.
At this point, though, talks between the Yanks and A’s are at something of a stalemate, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. There are suggestions on both sides that the teams will stick to their valuations even with the pressure of the deadline. And that means there’s somewhat “less optimism” that there’ll be a deal sending Gray to the Bronx. Indeed, per Sherman, there hasn’t been much new dialogue of note between New York and Oakland over the last day.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers are still talking with the A’s about Gray, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweets. But it’s also possible, he notes, that the ongoing dialogue is as much about maintaining leverage as it is due to serious, mutual interest.

« Previous Page

Load More Posts

Headlines

Archives for July 2017

Navigation

MLBTR INFO

Connect