It remains unclear whether the Rays will move Chris Archer, but Jon Morosi of MLB.com writes that they and other teams have been “engaged in consistent trade talks” centering on the right-hander “in recent weeks.” Archer, a 29-year-old front-end starter who’s on one of baseball’s most appealing contracts (he’s controllable through 2021 for $34MM), has unsurprisingly drawn reported interest from a host of teams this offseason. Dealing Archer and his $6.25MM salary would help the Rays with their goal to cut payroll for 2018, but it would obviously make it all the more difficult for the team to compete in a division featuring Boston, New York and an active Toronto club.
More AL rumblings:
- If the Royals re-sign free agent first baseman Eric Hosmer, they’ll give more serious consideration to trading left-hander Danny Duffy, closer Kelvin Herrera and right-hander Jason Hammel, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Bringing back Hosmer and keeping those players would ostensibly give the Royals a better chance to compete in 2018, though they’re reportedly in line to cut payroll and rebuild even if they do re-up him. Of Duffy, Herrera and Hammel, the former is the priciest – he’s owed $60MM through 2021, including $14MM this season – but also likely the player with the most trade value. Both Herrera and Hammel could become free agents in a year, depending in part on what happens with the latter’s $12MM mutual option for 2019. In the meantime, Herrera will earn $7.94MM this year, and Hammel will collect $9MM.
- The Twins still haven’t discussed a contract extension with Brian Dozier, and the star second baseman informed Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com that he’s “a little bit” surprised about that. The club is waiting on potential extensions until spring training draws closer, per Bollinger, though Dozier seems prepared to test the market in a year if Minnesota doesn’t make him a suitable offer by next winter. “I’ve had a lot of talks with a lot of guys about approaching free agency and how to handle it,” Dozier said. “I don’t want to get too caught up in it. But it is the writing on the wall and the elephant in the room.” Dozier, who will turn 31 in May, is slated to play the final season of a four-year, $20MM contract extension in 2018. That deal has been an absolute bargain for the Twins, who saw Dozier account for 14.2 fWAR/13.3 rWAR and bat .258/.335/.496 with 104 home runs over the first three years of the pact.
- Red Sox left-hander Brian Johnson has drawn trade interest this offseason, Cafardo reports. The hurler is out of minor league options, meaning the Red Sox could lose him to waivers if they don’t trade him and he doesn’t make their 25-man roster, Cafardo notes. Johnson, a first-round pick of the Red Sox in 2012 and a former top 100 prospect, has seen minimal big league action to this point (31 1/3 innings). The 27-year-old tossed 27 1/3 major league frames across five starts last season and did OK, notching a 4.33 ERA/4.90 FIP with 7.0 K/9 and 2.67 BB/9. Johnson fared better over 90 1/3 Triple-A innings (3.09 ERA/4.19 FIP, 6.97 K/9, 2.79 BB/9).
3rd Red Sox news tidbit today. Nice!
If the royals trade two starting pitchers or their closer why would they even need to pay Hosmer? I’m not a Gm but this basically says we will pay one guy a ton of money and give a crap about the rest of the team
it’s because even though they plan to go in the rebuild direction, hosmer is their franchise player and with him commanding 7 years, he may well be around on the next royals contending roster.
Do you honestly believe that will happen? This would be an epic waste of money
I don’t think it would be smart, but given the Royals’ behavior in recent years, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the case.
Recent behavior of winning the World Series?
I had to read the article twice to see if I was missing something. Sign Hosmer to big money trade pitching. Dumb
Weel said. It is kind of funny how dayton moore and the royals according to some never seem to do anything right but somehow played in back to back world series winning one.
one player can not make a team a winner… stupid if they think so.. Walmart brains! @
You mean, like they gave Gordon?
The Red Sox should use Johnson out of the pen this year. I feel like he could thrive in the pen and possibly give the Sox a decent lefty reliever without having to over pay for the guys on the market right now.
It’s likely his best fit to stay on the team. But due to injuries and anxiety he’s never really had a full shot starting in the majors. He’s a guy with multiple average pitches and no plus pitch so his stuff plays well as a starter. Maybe he’ll get a shot with injuries.
Don’t know if you heard, but that was the plan to use Johnson out of the pen.
Which would be the best thing they could do with him. Seeing as they need some starting pitching depth to give our rotation some rest through the season.
We can not have Sales arm dangling off his shoulder like it’s ready to fall off like Sox did last season.
What I don’t get is this. Arm fatigue has been a trend in September throughout Sale’s short career. So why Sox didn’t plan ahead blows my mind and imo speaks to the problems Sox have had producing starting pitching. It’s obvious their staff are not doing there jobs correctly with the pitching department.
Sign Dozier Twins. Don’t be dumb
The Rays keep waiting for the right deal for Archer and what will happen is, they will get nothing. He soon will be 30, when baseball is looking like football, if you are 30 or older, they don’t want to pay much for you.
??
Archer is not paid that much over the next 4 years.
This is not a $20mil+/yr SP we are talking about.
Chris Archer has a good contract, but he’s not an ace, and arm troubles are just around the corner. There’s more to pitching than strikeouts per nine innings, and the stuff just hasn’t translated to results. This is also a player who isn’t a leader, he actually complained about playing a doubleheader last season at Tropicana Field when he wasn’t even scheduled to pitch.
He’s overrated, I’ve been saying that for months when people are saying a group of cubs players that should get way more than just him was not even enough to get him. It’s bs
Well glad you cleared that up. How about tackling the government shutdown next.
@collin
He did clear it up for dummies like you
@aloliver16
Thank you for setting people straight. I am so sick of articles like this one trying to fool people by saying Archer is a frontline starter. He is not.
One Fan-how is that? Because you think so.
By the way “glad you cleared that up” means that.
Write a blog for your fellow DH why don’t you.
not disagreeing, but can depend on your definition of “frontline starter”. is he a true #1 ace? no, but how many of those are there?
I love all the Archer comments on this site. People without a clue going on and on about how crappy Archer is and why the Rays should just accept whatever prospect bag is offered up for him. Here’s a thought, you don’t think much of Archer, then go sign Arrieta or Darvish at $30 mil a year. Pretty sure those guys aren’t going to being any better a pitcher than Archer over the next 4 years, but will cost over $20 mil more per year.
Duffy is their ace. I can see trying to move the other two but to give up their best pitcher would be counterproductive. Nick proving ineffective again in his reporting
If they are rebuilding, Duffy has quite a bit of trade value. That contract is fairly reasonable and comes with a lot of control. He is a solid #3 or #4 on a contending team.
do you not understand the definition if a rebuild
why would they trade Archer? what is the direction of this franchise?
I am so happy I am not a Rays fan.
I feel bad for Rays fans they finally got a chance to contend and their window ran out and now they’re back to possibly being a feeder team for the rest of the league.
More likely then not they won’t trade Archer unless they get a crazy offer the Rays already have a great farm sysytem
Rays are setting up for another window opening up in 2019, but they won’t be competitive in 2018. Archer is affordable for the Rays through 2021, so there’s no rush to trade him, but if the right offer comes along, they would be wise to take it. They have too many candidates for the rotation as it is, and while none are as good as Archer, the return for Archer could shore up their other weaknesses and make the team better overall. It all depends on the return, which needs to consist of high end prospects at AA or AAA (Cubs fans – please don’t whine about the Rays not wanting your MLB players – they aren’t a fit for the Rays. Get over it)..
The only place Hammel is any good is Chicago. Check it out. Maybe the Sox could get something out of him?
I wish the Rays would trade Archer already. And just so we don’t have to read about it again. Let’s just stop writing about Archer until he’s actually traded.
Small market teams paying first base tons of money doesn’t work out… ask the reds how that’s going to pan out into 2025…
To be fair, Votto is still one of the best first basemen in the league and his skill set doesn’t decline nearly as quickly. I would argue that since he is their only real pull to bring in fans and his production has been strong that it has been a good investment for the Reds.
GareBear definitely Votto is maybe the best pure hitter in the league and is a perennial MVP candidate. He is the Prince of Process.
They need a rebuild. They have to have a lot of things happen to be competitive. Young guys performing on cheap contracts. Free agents playing way over their head. Etc etc
Entering a rebuild with players that are carrying huge contracts is not something to do – especially if the player is not making significant contributions offensively. Alex Gordon managed to end the season batting .208, but spent most of the season below .200. Add that to the fact that he is scheduled to get paid $20 million this season and five Gold Gloves or not, he needs to go. The Royals have several players that can fill that slot (as they have proved the past couple of seasons when Gordon got hurt).
Red Sox should trade for Archer
Trade what? They don’t have a lot to offer right now, and seeing as how Archer is controlled for a while on a good price, it means he’d be worth a good haul. And then add in that he’d be going to a division rival.
Good point they would ask for a lot. Idk E-Rod, Johnson, Swihart, and a prospect
In the last post about Archer we talked about this, and this is why I feel someone said the Cardinals for example who been listed for him off and on and recently as yesterday saw a article from New England Sports Nation. Which as a Cardinals he fits in well, the Cardinals may have on paper 5 starters but a lot of question marks in what Wainwright after 3 bad seasons and injuries, and you have Miles from Japan who is unknown what he bringing to the MLB level. Weaver and Reyes will be fine down the road but this is both there first full season at the MLB level. One coming off Tommy John and that leaves.innings questions.
Archer has a contract that the Cardinals like in trades, control and this is really long term control with a club friendly contract, take what he is as a pitcher inning eater that many see as an ace or strong number 2 in most clubs. Compared to spending a lot of money on an Arrietta (Been linked too) or Darvish. For a team that can but doesn’t take risk in spending money. I saw someone talk about “possible” Arm problems. Same goes for Arrietta but the difference is, you wouldn’t pay as much on Archer being out than you would Arrietta. But healthy he would do well here and have a dangerous long term rotation based on control. Martinez, Archer, Weaver, Reyes, and Wacha With him this year we can move one of the questionable starters to a closer role if they can’t pitch starting role example Wainright now who has closed before in 06 may not have the stuff to go 5 innings or more..
But what can the Cardinals offer to pry Archer away from the Rays? I don’t see a top 25 prospect in the Cardinals system that the Rays would want, and it would take no less than 2 top 50 prospects (1 of which would need to be a top 25, if not top 10) just to get the Rays attention.
A lot of people are missing the point on Chris Archer. It doesn’t matter if you look at him as a 1,2 or 3 he is very affordable. His contract is so affordable that a small market team like Tampa doesn’t have to trade him. People seem to forget this and think that their trade proposal should be enough to get Archer. If you want the Rays to part with Archer you will have to overpay in prospects you will have to blow Tampa away with an offer or they simply keep him. It doesn’t matter what other teams or fans think of Archer it matters what Tampa thinks of Archer so if you want him in your teams rotation you will have to overpay in prospects simple as that.
That’s the thing though, there is a reason why he being talked about more than any other starter not a free agent, and multi year signed players don’t normally get the kind of talk he getting.
. What we all see as a club friendly contract, the Rays are still looking to cut payroll. Now Archer to them is one of those guy that saves them money. Now do that have to deal him? no. Nobody as to deal anybody and nobody knows what the Rays are wanting or what was offered. But if the Rays are in true rebuild and I’m sure they want to do that with lower cost prospects. Guys like Archer maybe saying if we are rebuilding, send me to a winner. In rebuild by the time the Rays raise back up will be likely the back end of this contract..
We see how players are acting in Pittsburgh and Miami, some players don’t want to be in a rebuild as for as we all know Archer could be thinking the same thing. Right now I hope the Cardinals do get him, but if he doesn’t move, I wouldn’t be that surprised either.
Rays are in a one year reset, not a rebuild.
I would take this argument one step further. Most of the trade packages I see on this site don’t even equal the package Quintana netted for ChiSox. The people on this site who suggest such lowball trade packages should just stop commenting.
Im not a rays fan but you are spot on with all the garbage suggested for trade possibilities. I always love how the yankees think their organization top 20 is the 20 best mlb prospects in baseball. Talk to a yankee fan and you should be hapoy with their 30th ranked prospect and cash for archer
The Red Sox will be lucky to get a lottery pick for Johnson at this point. Teams know he is out of options so the Red Sox will probably have to either lose Swihart, Johnson, or both.
Can they stop with the whole “Bradley deserves a gold glove” routine. Gold gloves should be given to the best defender at each position at Bradley is at best 4th best in center behind Buxton, Kiermaier,, and Pillar. I would personally put Trout above him too but you could argue that one.
I think yoir forgetting lorenzo cain as well.
Guess you have to see JBJ play. Taking nothing away from all the other great fielders mentioned above, but if it’s in the park JBJ will catch it. But who cares if he’s the GOAT. JBJ is excellent. That’s all his admirers are saying..