This weekend could go down as the the final time outfielders Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna take the field together for the Marlins, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald observes. While all three enjoy playing with one another, each realizes the organization is in flux, which might bring about the end of their successful partnership. “I think everyone is kind of aware of the situation,” said Yelich, the center fielder. “We really don’t know what’s going to happen, [but] we realize what the possibilities could be. Everybody knows that.” The only member of the trio who could block a trade is Stanton, he of 57 home runs in 2017 and a $295MM contract that runs through 2028 (or 2020, depending on an opt-out decision). The 27-year-old MVP candidate suggested that he wouldn’t be keen on embarking on a rebuild, something Miami might have to do in order to slash payroll and restock a weak farm system. “What else are you here for? I don’t do this just to show up. I’m here to try to win, get a ring,” the right fielder said (via Tim Healey of the South Florida Sun Sentinel). “There’s a point otherwise, but that’s your ultimate goal.”
More from the NL:
- An ailing back continues to trouble the Dodgers’ Adrian Gonzalez, leading the club to shut him down for the year, manager Dave Roberts announced Wednesday (via Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times). Gonzalez played in just 71 games this season and batted a career-worst .242/.287/.355 for the NL’s top seed, though he did hit a home run Tuesday in what proved to be his last contest of 2017. The 35-year-old felt tightness in back on Wednesday, however, which forced the Dodgers to bring his season to a close prior to the playoffs. Regarding 2018, the final year of Gonzalez’s contract (in which he’ll make $21.5MM), he said: “My plan is to be an everyday player again and give it a go to have a really good season. Like I expected for this year.”
- Phillies right-hander Clay Buchholz has been out of action since suffering a partial tear of the flexor pronator mass in his pitching arm on April 11, but the 33-year-old expects to be ready for spring training, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. He’ll start throwing Oct. 9, roughly a month before he’ll be eligible to depart Philadelphia as a free agent. “It’s my first go around with the whole free-agent deal,” Buchholz said of the upcoming offseason. “I’ll have to prove that I’m ready to go and I’m healthy, I’m sure. But I’m looking forward to it.” While Buchholz will go down as a failed on-field pickup for the Phillies, who acquired him from Boston last winter, he did mentor their young pitchers behind the scenes, as Zolecki details.
- Third baseman Christian Villanueva has hit four homers in 10 games since the Padres selected his contract Sept. 18, putting him in position to compete for a 25-man spot next spring, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com writes. The offseason minor league signing and former top 100 prospect with the Cubs will have an opportunity to win a starting job at second or third base in the spring, relays Cassavell, who notes that he could at least be a useful right-handed hitter off the bench. While Villaneuva, who was once part of trade involving Kyle Hendricks and Ryan Dempster, has slashed .333/.333/.778, his success has come over a minuscule amount of PAs (27). Manager Andy Green needs to see more, saying that “I don’t think you prove anything in September in such a short sample.”
Villanueva absolutely deserves a shot. Great fielder and good bat to ball skills. Should get plenty of doubles playing in Petco. Chase Headly 2.0
He was such a great prospect before the injury that cost him his 2016 season. At 26 he is a little past the prospect stage. Hopefully, he can provide both good defense and power at third base and occasional 1B for the Padres. They certainly need more power at third than they have seen from Spangenberg (sp?) or Solarte. Does this set them up for an offseason trade since they have so many infielders in Villanueva, Solarte, Spangenberg, and Asuaje?
Solarte is mostly gone this winter. Around 30. Reasonable contract. Productive. He will most likely get traded.
As for the rest. Pirela probably gets traded too. With dickerson coming back he most likely gets traded coming off a good year. Which leaves villanueva at 3rd, asuaje at 2nd, and spangenberg in like a super utility role playing 3rd 2nd rf lf to spell guys.
why would you take dickerson over Pirela? Dickerson has not proven that he can stay healthy. He is coming back from a back injury which is fragile at best. Pirela is cheap and controllable. Why Dickerson over Pirela? Get rid of Jankowski and keep both.
I’m not sure what I want as a Padres fan. So many options at 2nd and 3rd. Solarte, Villanueva, Spangenberg, Asuaje, Pirela(LF), Urias(SS)
When do you think Urias will get his shot? i would think he is far more likely to play 2B, which he is much better at. His hitting seemed to suffer this season when he was at SS. I doubt they call him up unless he is going to get extended playing time.
Does asuaje really get you guys excited. He needs a sky high babip to maintain a decent average. He has no power or speed and he strikes out pretty often for a player with that skill set. His glove is a plus though. Seems to me he’s a textbook utility infielder.
I have no idea whether this could pass muster, but if Stanton wants to play elsewhere if Marlins aren’t competitive, if a trade can’t be worked out (and it’s hard to see how, with his contract), perhaps the Marlins could incentivize him to opt-out—perhaps with a lump sum calculated by making him whole on lower salaries (against AAV) he was paid at the front end of the deal.
That is an interesting idea, but I would think that the team trading for him would have to agree to those increases in salaries first.
Any team that Trades for Stanton , needs to Report Immmedialty to Mental Health Institution to have their heads examined !
That’s not a popular post this year….
If there’s surplus value in the deal, why would trading for him be a bad idea?
After his rookie year, Stanton has averaged 4.4 WAR per season. That is about a $35 million value.
Stanton would look perfect in RF for the Cards. Fans would love him and he would be the power bat they so desperately need.
Ryan Dempster I remember that guy.
In 2013, Dempster posted a 4.57 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 29 starts and three relief appearances and was about to enter the second year of a two year $26.5M contract, that paid $13.25MM per season.
Citing physical reasons, and desire to spend more time with his kids, Ryan didn’t pitch in 2014, and forfeited his entire $13.25MM salary after getting placed on the restricted list.
They don’t make guys like that anymore. Much respect.
If only you didn’t throw at Arod intentionally, start that brawl Lol youtube.com/watch?v=Ngqeyfutg54
Could this be the end of Agon’s career? Why are so many prominent Dodger players having back issues?
You mean, Gonzales and Kershaw? OMG an unnoticed trend! Must be something in the water.
Well sadly pitchers break. I think we attribute Gonzo and Ethier to getting old, a process that was delayed not too long ago. Gonzo went 12 years before he hit the DL. It’s a young mans game now for practical reasons.
Not just those two. I seem to remember others this year and last going on the DL with back problems. Not extended stays or career threatening like Agon and Kershaw, but still DL time. You are the Dodger fan. Tell us who else went on the DL with back problems.
That’s the thing you don’t have any others unless you want to include a spasm here and there. But that’s generally common. I guess you can include Gutierrez, but his intestinal disease and spinsal stinosis were we’ll documented before that. Kaz has had hip isuess. Seager has oblique. You’re reaching a bit on this one.
The only other back problem I recall was to Romo. Hardly a prominent player if only because he was released early in the season. Lots of starting pitching made trips to the 10-day with a variety of mostly mystery ailments. What they were reported to be hardly matters since their only purpose was allow them to skip a start.
Any DL stint is a DL stint. That is what I am talking about. LA Times in the article about Gonzalez lists 6 guys in 2 years on the Dodgers that have hit the DL because of back problems. 3 pitchers and 3 position players.
How many years are you going back to support your theory? Either way, I guess you forget your own argument.
BTW, what is your theory?
I’m really not sure what your getting at either. Are we going through team by team to examine mild back strain injuries or herniated/bulging disc instances to find an acceptable/unacceptable range? I’m betting the Dodgers will probably rank higher in that area, because of their risk taking propensity to sign stop gap oft injured players, I.e Anderson etc. Or are we examining older players nearing the final stages in their career, I.e. CC, Gonzo, and Ethier? Have there truly been a shocking rash of back injuries for the Dodgers? I mean Kershaw sure, but pitchers break and the breakdown in the kinetic chain could easily explain that especially after his hip injury. Thompson, I guess, but they believe it was generally broken before 16 while crashing into a wall. Was Darvish really hurting, or what is small little aches and pains, in which they saw the chance to take advantage of a mechanical change?
It’s just hard to actually question these instances, because they aren’t out of the norm. On one hand you have pitching which is extremely taxing on the body and not unlikely to cause injury. On the other hand we’re talking about vets who’ve been in the league around 12 years presumably without the aid of steroids. It’s not as though there’s a rash of TJs or hamstrings, knock on wood 15-16, in which you can say there is definitely a problem. There’s really no correlation, maybe coincidence. You can’t really answer one way or the other.
Kind of also seems like irresponsible question to ask, but since you did your major back injuries involve wrong side of 30 and the physical tole accumulation, pitchers break, and a freak accident from running into a wall.
Shutting Gonzales down for the year makes it easier adjusting playoff rosters considering the depth of this team – may allow keeping Taylor on the roster as additional back-up for Seager – have a difficult decision with Ethier as well
Taylor is a lock for the playoff roster. I can’t think of a time after Spring Training when that would not have been the case. It does bump Ethier up a notch though, and maybe gives Pederson a chance. The tough call would probably be between Granderson and Ethier.
I don’t think that’s even a call. I think they essentially see Ethier as a bat off the bench. I’d also wager to bet Granderson is a lock and going to start, not that I necessarily agree but. The one interesting spot to note is whether Farmer makes an appearance. I see Ethier, Utley,Kikè, Barnes being the 4 locks of the bench. If they go 14 I can see Farmer and Joc conceivably both making the team. If they go 13 I think it’s Farmer freeing up Barnes.
I count nine locks: Grandal, Bellinger, Forsythe, Seager, Turner, Taylor, Puig, Utley, Barnes. With 14 position players, I see it as five of these six: Pederson, Hernandez, Granderson, Ethier, Farmer, Culbertson. Probably this make Culbertson odd man out. If they choose to deepen the pen, Farmer seems lease likely to be left off. Segedin seems like the real long shot, though Roberts has been playing him a lot a first recently, and with Gonzales unavailable he might be a surprise add.
Ok I get that’s where we differed I just don’t truly believed they would consider Culberson and/or Seggy unless there were some major injury concerns.
I think the reason we’ve been seeing Segedin getting playing time now is to provide depth at first. They need it more now than they did before Gonzales went down. They are also pretty light on RH bench bats. Adds up in my mind to a chance for Segedin.
I think that’s been somewhat coincidental with the injuries to Gonzo and somewhat giving Bellinger a blow here and there. To me that seems like a major long shot.
Maybe but we will get a better read on that if Roberts starts Segedin at FB again this weekend, and of course we’ll know for sure in a few days after that. The other position that seems to be in flux is CF. Bellinger got a start there this week, maybe just as a tryout, but hard to ignore the possibility that Roberts wants that option on the table too. In which case, they have to carry somebody else to play first. Hernandez can always play it, but seems like a waste of his skill set.
I felt like again that was to get Taylor off his feet. I think CF is pretty much set at least this season, unless this contusion turns out to be lingering. I felt as though that possibility was stronger with Gonzo semi healthy. It’s just hard to see them carrying an extra 1b just to carry one. An extra OF & C seems more probable. Segedin doesn’t really provide much value beyond that. I can definitely see Segedin playing this weekend, but I’m not sure how much that tells us. Which makes you wonder with the swing change how Segedin might have fared and if the decisions would have looked differently if he remained healthy. It’s going to be interesting
Not just an extra FB but also a RHB off the bench, which seems like the even greater need. Farmer also got a start at FB and that too was before Gonzales was scratched, so that option appears to be on the table as well. I think Roberts is going to want to have the ability to double switch and move Bellinger to the OF. Farmer and Segedin are the only two on the roster who really fit that bill. Interesting is right. Just glad I don’t have to make these decisions!
You must not have watched many dodger games if you think Taylors spot was up in the air
Chris Taylor is third on the team with a 126 wRC+ and can handle multiple IF and OF positions. There’s no way in hell AGon’s status would keep him off the roster.
The Rangers needs all kind of out field help and Staton would fit in perfect in Texas. Heck they got the money after letting Darvish go. And they need to get fielder off the books to.
Remember when everyone on here thought Stanton was actually going to hit 62+ HRs and somehow “legitimize” the “record” even though 70+ is the real record? Dude went into “try-hard” mode and probably won’t even get 60 now.
Careful Rev with the “70+ HR is the real record”,cause you’re gonna disturb the fanatics.
I don’t know if it’s a case of “try-hard”, or just a simple slump. Remember when people were writing Judge off after he went through a lean patch? Now, he’s back with a vengeance.
Stanton was due to cool off at some stage, it’s inevitable – unless your name is Barry Bonds.
ReverieDay, he hit 58 and 59 tonight, and has 3 more days to get 60. (Or 62+)
Never say never, especially in this sport.
Even if he hits 62 it won’t be the official record. MLB did this to themselves and even though it sucks that’s the way it is. To tell how much people outside of diehards care..Sportscenter led with the MNF over Stanton.
As a Marlin fan, I wouldn’t mind a rebuild given the makeup of the payroll, farm system, and the state of our big-league pitching. They are all a huge mess and there’s no way this team competes in 2018 or 2019. Thus, I think the best course of action is to trade Stanton, Ozuna, Gordon, and see what the market’s like for Prado, Ziegler, and other veterans of their caliber. Build around Realmuto, Yelich and maybe Urena/Straily.
As a Marlins as well, i honestly want to trade Realmuto as well. He could bring two A prospects. Yelich i would hate to see leave, MAYBE hold onto him but a complete overhaul trading everyone with value for strong prospects may be the best thing here.
As a Marlins as well, i want to see a COMPLETE overhaul, so i think we should trade everyone with strong value. Realmuto would bring a huge haul, you gotta take advantage of that. The only one that would really hurt for me would be Yelich. Maybe make him the face of the Franchise and keep him very long term but id like to see a white sox type of rebuild. Stockpile top 100 prospects and shoot for 2021