On behalf of the MLB Trade Rumors staff, we wish all of our readers a very safe and happy holiday season! Here are a few more news items to act as stocking stuffers as we head into Christmas Day…
- The Nationals project to be over the luxury tax limit for the second straight year, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post writes, which could have some impact on how — or if — the team continues to spend this offseason or at the trade deadline. The Nats are currently slated for a 30 percent tax on all overages beyond the $197MM threshold, though that tax bill will rise if the Nationals spend beyond the $217MM mark. There doesn’t seem much chance that Washington will pass the threshold again next year, however, as the club has several big contracts coming off the books, so the Nats will be well-positioned to spend big in the vaunted 2018-19 free agent class, which includes such notable D.C. players as Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy.
- Ichiro Suzuki is still hoping for another contract with an MLB team, telling the Kyodo News Agency (as picked up by the Associated Press) that “I feel like a big dog at a pet shop that hasn’t been sold. Of course, I want to play baseball next year.” Ichiro also didn’t close the door on a return to Japan, in somewhat oblique fashion; when asked if there was a possibility he could play for Nippon Professional Baseball next season, Suzuki said “When you use the word possibility, there are many things … it means anything is possible as long as it’s not zero.” Suzuki turned 44 in October and has spoken of hoping to play until he is 50 years old, though it remains to be seen if a Major League team will give the future Hall-of-Famer a shot at his 18th season in the bigs.
- An American League scout shared his opinion on the Rangers’ three pitching acquisitions (Mike Minor, Matt Moore, and Doug Fister) with Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News, noting that the trio’s ability to miss bats will help take pressure off a shaky Texas defense. Most interestingly, the scout suggested that Minor would be most effectively deployed not just as a reliever, but as the Rangers’ closer. Minor has said that he chose to sign with Texas because the club was open to giving him the opportunity to again be a starting pitcher, so while the left-hander has also said he’s fine with continuing as a reliever, rotation work would seem to be his first option. Minor began his career as a starter but shoulder problems cost him all of the 2015 and 2016 seasons before he returned to post excellent numbers out of the Royals bullpen last year.
- After undergoing Tommy John surgery last May, Brady Rodgers hopes to be finished with his rehab by June, the Astros right-hander tells Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle. A third-rounder in the 2012 draft, Rodgers made his MLB debut in 2016, tossing 8 1/3 innings for the Astros. He owns a 3.98 ERA, 4.56 K/BB rate and 7.4 K/9 over 575 career frames in the minors, with particularly strong results coming in the last two years at the Triple-A level. Once recovered, Rodgers will provide more upper minors depth for the Houston rotation.
xabial
You can do it Ichiro!!! Epitome of being a true professional.
Continue to defy mother Nature and Father Time long as you can.
ty h.
Mariners should get him
docmilo5
What young kid should lose his MLB paycheck to hire Ichiro, Gamel or Heredia?
driftcat28 2
Both, Ichiro should play both outfield spots at once
southi
I think that too many Ichiro fans hold on to the memory of what he once was, but the reality is that Ichiro probably doesn’t need to take up a major league roster spot now. I could see having Ichiro as a coach to take advantage of his intangibles in the clubhouse but he isn’t the player he once was. Every player comes to a day when they should retire. Ichiro acts as if he hasn’t realized that day has past already for him.
24TheKid
4th outfielder. Haniger in right, Gamel/heredia in left, Gordon in center and Ichiro in the same role as Heredia was I last season.
Dag Gummit
I concur with @24TheKid. Heredia has not shown even the remotest ability to hit RHP yet. If he had, he’d have been slotted as the CF. Until he does, he soft-platoons and requires another option. Further, Gamel’s ability to further his breakout is highly questionable because it was so BABIP-driven.
Respected Elder Ichiro just might actually be a fit in the current Mariners OF. His age, wisdom, and eccentric-ness contrast beautifully with the current youthful vigor and he knows his role — defensive replacement/ PR, sneaky vLHP option (given his career-long reverse split). With the Mariners, there is that extra but if sentimentality that just might allow for him to be good enough to play. And he can be that extra emergency arm for the pen when desperately needed.
Give him a rolling 1-year contract with mutual/ team options. Don’t ever dare accept a guaranteed extra year unless he can actually emerge as the RP he’s always wanted to be.
davidcoonce74
If a young kid deserves to play over Ichiro he will. Baseball is a sentimental game, but not that sentimental. Beloved veterans get shown the door all the time
nats-taylor
Nats should
ty h.
Mariners should get ichiro
GarryHarris
San Francisco needs low cost OFs.
gomerhodge71
Boston could use a spare OF
Michael Birks
To play where? Pawtucket?
MB923
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to MLBTR
xabial
And to all a good night ^
john william
Merry Christmas MLBTR. You give us something to maintain the interest and intrigue during the doldrums of winter. Cheers.
AUTiger7222
Mike Minor, Matt Moore and Doug Fister are pitchers who miss bats? Meaning strikeout pitchers? Since when?
Career K/9
Minor = 8.1
Moore = 8.2
Fister – 6.2
WTF? Did I miss something?
Phantom Dreamer
It will be good to see Ichiro in a trident Mariners uniform again
Polish Hammer
Chibba Lotte Marines
Ichiros
Go get Ichiro, Dipoto!!! And get some good SP!!!
thecoffinnail
Sorry Mariners fans.. Before Ichiro can return to Seattle he has to first sign with another team so that Dipoto can swing a trade for him.. I have no doubt he will play in Seattle this year but not until May or June when recently signed players can officially be traded..
Realtexan
That would be great to see Ichiro in either a Rangers or Astros uniform this season
Caseys Partner
So the Nationals are over the payroll tax limit for the second year in a row despite the fact they don’t have a functioning TV deal in place.
The Phillies have the third largest TV deal in MLB and they have never paid one dollar in payroll tax. The Mets………Fred Wilpon……scam. The Braves own a market that is essentially the same size as Boston. The Marlins own the the 16th largest media market in the USA.
Then you have a team like the Pirates whose owner acts like having a payroll that is 50% of what the Nationals are doing is unthinkable.
None of this would be possible without a thoroughly corrupt Fake News corporate media. Any “news” media that was not corrupt would keep the Nationals example front and center in the public mind and directly juxtapose all other teams against them as an example of what is possible for them to spend.
jd396
This is an outrage, I say. An outrage!
gorav114
Is the point that the Nationals are putting their profits back into the team and other teams are pocketing theirs? Or u just ranting
AUTiger7222
Speaking of TV deals, the Braves have quite possibly the worst TV deal in the MLB. They generate a very low revenue from their TV deal. Sadly they’re stuck in it until 2022. Time Warner really screwed the Braves when they put the team up for sale and negotiated a horrible TV deal just so they could have one in place when they sole the team. They didn’t care about trying to get one that would be beneficial to the Braves revenue stream.
Nats ain't what they used to be
Where is this guy getting that the Nats paid luxury tax last year? I checked a number of sites and they only report LAD, NYY, Bos, Det, SF and CHC paid in 2016, Nats have never paid luxury tax as far as I have read.
I’m also wondering if they are set to pay this year. They lost Werth’s $20M salary and although many will get a raise I doubt they are going up that much. Most of their stars are still very cheap by today’s standards because they have never been FA.
nats3256
they are referring to 2017 as last year. I do not know if the Nationals paid the tax or not.
gorav114
Don’t worry, if they’re wrong the article will vanish
cwsOverhaul
As a personal favorite during his prime, wouldn’t mind seeing WSox bring on Ichiro to play a few days a week while OFs that matter are in the minors (but Eloy soon). Observing a true pro like that daily can only help young guys like Moncada and Anderson regardless of position.
Polish Hammer
Yes observe, because this guy sticks to himself and refuses to converse in English despite his grasp of the language.
BoldyMinnesota
Lol he has no pressure to conform to the American society
Polish Hammer
It was in response to the assumptions that he would actually tutor youngsters.
rycm131
Man if the Padres sign Ichiro…!
southi
Then they would have wasted a roster spot on a player way past their usefulness. Ichiro is not the player he once was.
rycm131
Prove it!
bgrant0224
Rays should pick him up as a dh