Continuing to cast a wide net in their search for upgrades, the White Sox “have checked in on” outfielder Michael Brantley, Jayson Stark of The Athletic writes. To this point, the 31-year-old Brantley has spent his entire career as a member of the AL Central rival Indians, though he figures to be too pricey for the Tribe this offseason. Based on his career to date, Brantley would be a substantial upgrade for a Chicago team that received horrid production from its cast of outfielders in 2018.
- Speaking of the White Sox, they’re among the teams that will meet with superstar Manny Machado, per Jon Heyman of Fancred. The Yankees and Phillies, two other unsurprising suitors, will also sit down with the 26-year-old infielder, Heyman adds. In total, Machado will visit four clubs in the coming days, Buster Olney of ESPN hears.
- The Brewers met yesterday with free agent backstop Wilson Ramos and his representatives, MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy reports. Positive vibes seem to have emerged from the sit-down on both sides, which could perhaps spur some momentum toward a match. The Mets met with Ramos today, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post was among those to tweet, though the New York club is seemingly pushing on other fronts first.
- Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who surprisingly hit the open market Tuesday when the Blue Jays released him, may be a fit for the Athletics as a second baseman, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle observes. While Tulowitzki would like to remain at short, he “would be willing to change positions,” his agent, Paul Cohen, told Slusser on Tuesday. He’s also a Bay Area native who, according to Cohen, “would have a lot of interest” in returning there.
- Meantime, the shortstop-needy Tigers will consider Tulo, but signing him is “a low probability,” GM Al Avila said (via Jason Beck of MLB.com). Regardless, the Tigers will add a shortstop prior to next season, Avila declared (via Evan Woodbery of MLive.com).
- The Nationals want an everyday second baseman, and free agent DJ LeMahieu tops their list, Bob Nightengale of USA Today relays. General manager Mike Rizzo revealed last week that the Nationals had contacted LeMahieu’s camp.
- Eight teams are interested in infielder Wilmer Flores, Heyman tweets. The 27-year-old Flores was an above-average offensive player with the Mets in each of the past three seasons, though he did most of his damage against lefties and dealt with injury issues. The Mets non-tendered Flores last month.
- Infielder Carlos Asuaje, whom the Rangers claimed off waivers from the Padres on Monday, is drawing interest from Japan, Heyman reports. It’s unclear, however, whether Texas would enable Asuaje to leave. The Rangers would probably need financial compensation for that to happen, Heyman posits.
First!
Second
Wilmer would be a good fit for the Yankees.
Negative good buddy.
You using a CB to communicate here?
Bungee
10-4
Over and out
Tulo at $600K at 2B is a no-brainer for Oakland. Pinder and Barreto right there when he gets hurt again. Can’t hurt at all. LeMahieu is nice but he’s an everyday guy so that blocks Barreto, Tulo has less chance of blocking him and wants min wage.
Can Tulo play? And at what level?
White Sox had 1 player produce more than 2 fWAR last season. And they traded him 10 days ago.
Really hope all these rumors of them persuing FA’s over the age of 30 who are looking for multi-year deals is just agents trying to get other clubs to open their wallets.
Too soon, Rick!
*pursuing
I wish all you idiots would talk baseball, not your online fascination with X. You’re ruining the chats. Soon it’ll end up like ESPN, gone.
Go Yankees
No joke. I just joined this chat and have to sift through all the garbage to get to actual baseball discussion. Anyway I agree with above poster. Tulo in Oakland does seem like a good fit. Maybe he just needs that type of change in scenery to get things going again. I know injuries have plagued him but he was so elite for so long.
I agree, I’m considering not reading comments anymore, which sucks because I like to read other opinions, and I personally couldn’t care less if Xabial has notifications or something and comments a lot. At least X is trying to contribute something of value to the conversation.
It is truly staggering to see the abundance of trolls on this chat.
Tulo for 1m+ incentives coming off the bench as a 2b/3b with his home state angels might make sense.
I feel sorry for the fans of whichever team signs Tulo, if that team even exists.
At that price, $1.1 mil over two years, he’s a low risk fit for half the league.
No he’s not. Honestly, he’ll probably retire.
“Based on his career to date, Brantley would be a substantial upgrade…”
It’s impossible to envision a bum who misses 60-80 games annually (except for his walk year, of course — then miraculously he’s all of a sudden healthy) being a substantial upgrade for any team. While he has the right to chase a contract, baseball would be better off if he retired.
This site would be better off if you retired.
596+ plate appearances in 5 out of the last 7 years.
And you must not have watched the garbage the White Sox threw out there last year. Outside of Eloy, they won’t have any of their legit OF prospects ready for the bigs until 2020 at the earliest. He’d be a substantial upgrade.
LOL @ Priggs, and what about those other two seasons?
He was hurt after 11 games in 1 year, and he had 375 All-Star worthy plate appearances in the other. He has also put up an .800+ OPS in 4 of the last 5 years (the only one he didn’t was the year with 11 games). He’s far from “a bum who misses 60-80 games annually.”
Put it this way: whatever team you’re a fan of, I hope he signs with that team — as long as it’s not the Braves.
Works for me
Grandal —> Brewers
No thanks.
Gimme Tulo on that league min contract for 2 yrs push him to 3B. Trade Franco and Hernandez in package(s) for pitching. Sign Machado. Push Segura ti 2B. Kingery to the OF.
The Mets should sign Wilson Ramos and AJ Pollack to replace Plawecki/Lagares. Keep Thor, Nimmo & Conforto. Realmuto isn’t that much of an upgrade of Ramos to deal those guys.
I’d say Grandal would be best for the Mets of those choices, then they should trade d’Arnaud to the team he grew up rooting – the Dodgers – for Puig. Puig wore out his welcome in LA.
I see that Dan Federico has tweeted that the three-way Marlins-Yankees-Mets deal is still very possible. He says he’s talked to “someone close to the situation” and a potential deal could be as follows:
Yankees get: Syndergaard
Mets get: Realmuto
Marlins get: Andujar, Rosario, and Nido?
I have no interest in any of the three teams whatsoever…..but that’s a terrible deal for the Mets.
Agreed. As a Mets fan, I say we riot if that happens, well, not quite, but we demand Wilpons sell the team like Jet fans used flyovers to demand Idzik be fired.
I would guess there would be a couple additional prospects going to Marlins and Mets. Realistically there’d be no way that this is the final framework
Agreed. I was thinking something more along the lines of:
Yankees: Syndergaard, Castro
Mets: Realmuto, Andujar
Marlins: Rosario (or Gimenez if they prefer), Florial
Plus some lesser pieces thrown in.
Adding Ramos and Tulo to the Brewers would create a heck of a lineup. Then maybe trade Woodruff/Burnes, Ray, Santana and another lower prospect or two for Bumgarner to shore up the rotation
C Ramos (5)—- SP Bumgarner
1B Aguilar (6)— SP Chacin
2B Tulo (7)—— SP Burnes/Woodruff
3B Shaw (4)—- SP Davies/Anderson
SS Arcia (8)—– SP Nelson/Peralta
LF Braun (3)
CF Cain (1)
RF Yelich (2)
Bumgarner will require better than a “lower prospect or two.”
But yes, that’s a solid looking lineup.
The Brewers shouldn’t give up that much for Bumgarner. Burnes may not be considered to be a “prospect” anymore based on the amount of Major League time logged, but he and Woodruff are controllable for years to come. I’d just as soon see what they can do.
The bulk of that trade was Woodruff or Burnes, Ray and Santana…. not the “lower prospect or two”
The MLBTR comment section DESPERATELY needs moderation.
LeMahieu was the name I was expecting for the Nats 2B need. I am not surprised to see they are also looking at Kinsler, but LeMahieu is definitely the better fit….
On the wish list… A J Pollock- That would renew the log jam at OF but the top four OF of
Pollock Eaton Soto Robles makes for a very deep OF. It probably wont happen but I would be all over that….
I have a feeling that they’ll go with a less expensive, shorter term, option at 2B. Probably someone that can also be the backup for Zimmerman at 1B. That way they can give Carter Kieboom another year to develop and gain some minor league playing time at the keystone.
With all the money tied up in the rotation, and the funds that will be needed to extend Rendon, it’s hard to picture them spending more at 2B for someone like LeMahieu.
MLBN was just talking about how the lack of potential suitors could bring Bryce back to DC. In the unlikely event that this passes that would mean a lot less spending elsewhere and prospects making debuts.Even if the Phillies want him, going ten years is a hard pill to swallow. I think it will be whole lotta bucks over 8 years
Kinsler or LeMahieu would be a plus. But the bench does still need a lefty power bat and corner IF. Those signings can come late though…
Interesting. Both Lerner and Rizzo have said that the 10/$300M offer they made in Sept is no longer on the table. To be honest, I think even 8 years and $240M is too much. Harper is just too inconsistent to justify $30M per.
Sounds like Boras isn’t getting the kind of interest he banked on when they turned down the Nats offer. That’s good. I like the thought of Boras getting his nose bloody for once!
There goes Tanner to the Reds
Here comes Tanner (Rainey) to the Nats
Sure hope Rizzo has something in the works. Need at least one SP still, probably two.