The Twins have declined a pair of club options, per a team announcement. Starter Ervin Santana and first baseman/DH Logan Morrison will receive buyouts and become free agents.
Santana will receive a $1MM buyout in lieu of a $14MM club option. While it had seemed at times as if the club would likely end up deciding to keep him around for a fifth campaign, the veteran’s injury-limited 2018 campaign rendered that unlikely.
So long as he can show that his problematic right middle finger is healed, Santana ought to be a popular bounceback target on the open market. Though he’s now 35 years of age, he had turned in two consecutive stellar seasons before the forgettable season that just concluded.
As for Morrison, who signed on last winter in what seemed to be a highly team-friendly deal, injury issues also marred his season. The club will give him $1MM rather than picking up an $8MM salary for another.
The 31-year-old Morrison had settled for his contract with Minnesota after entering the market after a big platform season. Unfortunately, he found himself among the many defensively limited sluggers who didn’t find a lot of demand, and ended up requiring hip surgery after struggling at the plate with the Twins. He’ll surely also draw plenty of looks from clubs interested in finding a productive lefty bat at an affordable price.
I’m surprised the Twins played LoMo for as long as they did last year.
Putting him in the “Seemed like a good idea at the time” file
Morrison to the Marlins?
Again?
The more pitching available, the better for the Angels. They’ll need to add 2 arms and one of them will need to be lower priced, innings eater type guy.
Right now I’d like that guy to be Gio Gonzalez, but the more names in that second tier, the more likely the Angels can sign one.
Doesn’t matter. Like quarterbacks go to Cleveland to die, pitchers go to Anaheim to do the same.
I thought they were already dead when the Angels sign them.
I’d like to refute that but empirical data is stacked up against me. Oh well! Go Halos
Ha ha. Sad, but true.
I’d like Ervin Santana as someone the Padres should look at when they start going through starting rotation options. If they want to “look to compete” this year, as AJ Preller has stayed.
They will most likely trade some of the farm for a young controllable TOR arm. But I’d expect them to land a guy like Santana and maybe even Pomeranz as well.
Santana will have plenty of offers.
I see his priority as not going for a year of guaranteed money, but rather to a manager/pitching coach with a history of fixing pitchers. He’s in great shape. Once healthy and squared away, he can pitch 3-4 more years….maybe more if he goes to the bullpen.
The first 2 teams that come to mind are:
1. His old team the Royals.
Yost is still there. Big pitchers park. Defense is again top drawer. A perfect veteran to mentor the young pitchers.
2. The Mets.
Best pitchers manager in Callahan. And his Royals pitching coach – Eiland – is there.
Lots of teams would like a crack at him.
I don’t see why Sanatana would need a manager that has a history of fixing pitchers, his problems didn’t have anything to do with his pitching, they came from the injury. Also, most older players in this situation look for one of two things, either a team that will offer them the most years/money or a team that can win, Royals won’t be either of those and I don’t see the Mets forking over a decent multi year deal for a pitcher, makes no sense when they talked about trading Thor and DeGrom.
With Santana, I’m gonna need to see a jump in his velocity over the winter ball stint if I’m a GM considering him as an option.
His velocity dropped 4 mph from 2017 to 2018. While I would imagine the ailing finger had something to do with it, 4 mph is concerning.
I like Ervin Santana to Yankees because he gives them pitching depth. He gives them a #4 option in the playoffs.
I do like Logan Morrison to Marlins because they are lacking a 1st baseman and he could be a potential trade piece if good enough.
Santana to the Padres to help lead the young guys
Morrison to the Blue Jays after Smoak gets dealt to the Rockies